Altaïr and the others didn't usually drink coffee, but with enough milk and sugar, hardly anyone would refuse it.
Clawdia and Hibiki were exceptions. Clawdia knew Felynes couldn't digest coffee, so she wouldn't touch it. Hibiki, on the other hand, really wanted to try it even knowing it was poisonous to him; he could just take an Antidote afterward anyway.
Nymera, of course, wouldn't let Hibiki mess around like that, and he threw a bit of a tantrum over it. The Wyverian artisan ultimately had to step in to calm him down.
It was clear that this broad-shouldered Wyverian, rough as he looked, had quite a knack for handling animals.
After pinning the rowdy Hibiki to the ground through a round of pouting and rolling around, the Wyverian artisan rubbed his furry belly as he looked up at Altaïr's group.
"That Regios Armor Set has fine craftsmanship," the taciturn Wyverian artisan offered as an opening remark.
As the designer and developer of that armor, his opinion carried considerable weight.
As for the armor worn by Isis and Nymera, he gave no comment. The Basarios Armor Set and Rathian Armor were both common pieces; any proper smithy would forge them without much variation.
"Ah, I haven't introduced you yet. This is Nymera, our Gunner partner, a 5★ Gunner. And this is Uncle Smithy, a very impressive Master Craftsman." Isis provided brief introductions on both sides.
In front of an elder, she acted a bit livelier than usual.
Nymera rose to her feet very formally, folded her hands in front of her, and gave a slight bow. "Master Craftsman, I look forward to your guidance."
The Wyverian artisan waved a hand dismissively. "You didn't come all this way just to visit me. You mainly want something forged, right?"
His certainty made Isis a little embarrassed. "You saw right through us."
"That Palamute is carrying a huge bundle of materials on its back."
"Alright, you got us." Isis stopped beating around the bush and gave him a rough account of the Estrellian Incident and the materials they'd obtained.
The Wyverian artisan's expression never changed the entire time, and only after hearing it all did he respond with a simple "Mm." He took the bundle over to the workbench, untied it, and began inspecting each item one by one.
"Does Master Craftsman mean he's agreed?" Nymera asked Isis in a hushed whisper off to the side.
After all, he was a true Master Craftsman, and getting a master of that caliber to work was no easy feat.
Isis grinned back. "Of course. Don't let Uncle Smithy's quiet nature fool you, he's actually a really good person. Whether it's Hunters, herders, or ordinary folks, he usually never refuses when people ask for his help."
Because these were entirely novel materials no one had ever seen, the Wyverian artisan's inspection took a very long time.
He tested not only the physical strength of the various materials, but also, through methods the trio couldn't understand, things like their elemental energy resistance and conductivity.
After a long while, he gave his assessment. "So this Monster is called the Doom Estrellian, is it? The materials are of good strength, high quality even among resources from 5★ Threat Level Monsters.
"So far, I've confirmed several properties. First, these materials contain Dragon Element energy that can be activated, so if they're used to forge a weapon, the final product should have the Dragon Element, and I estimate its strength will be considerable."
These words made Altaïr's eyes flicker; he had wanted a Dragon Element weapon for a long time! "Beyond that, it also has an energy-absorbing property. If made into armor, it might cause the wearer to tire more easily.
"I will do my best to mitigate this effect, but it may be impossible to eliminate completely.
"However, on the flip side, this material property helps the user suppress their presence. I plan to accentuate this advantage, making it harder for Monsters to notice the wearer and broadening their tactical options.
"In addition to these points, the absorbed energy might have some other uses, but the specifics will require further in-depth research.
"First, you should decide who the user will be, so I have a direction to work toward."
The Wyverian artisan looked at the group.
Isis stated decisively, "According to our plan, we'll have a weapon forged for Altaïr, and then craft a set of armor. Between Nymera and me, it'll go to whoever it suits best.
"I'm a heavy vanguard. Given my frequent need for Defense, stamina is my top priority, and a side effect that reduces stamina would be fatal for me.
"And the advantage of suppressing my presence to reduce my visibility isn't much of an advantage for me either; after all, my job is to draw the Monster's attention.
"Coupled with the fact that I didn't contribute much to the Hunt against the Doom Estrellian, I say we should make the equipment for Nymera."
Nymera's brow furrowed slightly.
In her view, this Master Craftsman was Isis's elder, and yet here they were, with her and Altaïr getting new equipment while Isis got nothing, which felt a bit... inappropriate.
Just as she was about to say something, the Wyverian artisan spoke first. "Indeed, weapon aside, for crafting armor, these materials are only suitable for making armor for a Gunner or an offensive Blademaster. Their compatibility with a Tank is very poor. Forcing the creation would just waste materials.
"So, what are your intentions..."
Altaïr shrugged. "I just switched to the Regios Armor Set, and the break-in period is only just over. There's really no need for new armor."
"So we'll make the armor for Nymera!" Isis ultimately made the call.
The Wyverian artisan nodded. "Nymera, do you have any personal preferences or requirements?"
"..." Nymera opened her mouth, then closed it. They had already said so much that refusing now would come across as overly polite.
After a moment of thought, she spoke. "Reduced stamina and presence concealment... I can adapt to that style of combat.
"Lying in ambush, sniping weak points... could the abilities for precision shooting and breaking weak points be enhanced?"
The Wyverian artisan took out a notebook and scribbled a few notes. "Very well, I understand your requests. I'll take your measurements shortly."
With that, without another word, the Wyverian artisan turned to Altaïr. "And you? What kind of weapon did you have in mind?"
Altaïr thought for a moment. "Among the weapons I'm proficient in, I use the Long Sword and Dual Blades the most right now, and occasionally the Sword and Shield. As for the Great Sword and Hammer, the Dragon Element seems like it might be a bit wasted.
"Let's prioritize the Long Sword or Dual Blades, Smithy. Which do you think would be more suitable?"
The Wyverian artisan stroked his angular, prominent chin, lost in thought for a moment. "Earlier, Isis mentioned that you have materials from the same species, but from a higher life stage? The Arbiter Estrellian, I believe.
"Do you have the actual items for me to examine?"
"We do." Altaïr quickly retrieved a palm-sized, shattered shell fragment and a small, folded piece of dark red wing membrane from his pack.
Amos, worried he might prematurely acquire a weapon beyond his skill level, had confiscated the Arbiter Estrellian materials.
However, Altaïr hadn't forgotten to ask Amos for a few specimens, precisely so Smithy could inspect them when forging the weapon and determine its future upgrade path.
The Wyverian artisan took the material samples, observing and fiddling with them for a long while. "Fascinating. The Dragon Element energy contained within is significantly stronger than the previous Doom Estrellian materials. Using them to forge raw-power weapons like the Great Sword or Hammer would indeed be somewhat wasteful.
"However, the physical properties of these materials are exceptionally good; it would be a real shame not to utilize them. Hmm."
After a silence that stretched for nearly ten seconds, the Wyverian artisan spoke again. "Altaïr, I recall you can use some Great Sword techniques with a Long Sword, like the Charged Slash, correct?
"Do you still do that sort of thing?"
Remembering those days of hefting a Long Sword and using it like a Great Sword, Altaïr couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. "There are situations where I borrow moves, but it's no longer the rigid imitation it used to be. I've made some adaptive modifications."
"Relax, I'm not criticizing you." The Wyverian artisan waved his hand dismissively. "The physical properties of these materials are suited for heavy weapons, capable of unleashing tremendous raw destructive power, but at the same time, they contain a Dragon Element energy of considerable potency that cannot be dismissed.
"Whether forging a Great Sword, a Hammer, Dual Blades, or Sword and Shield, there would be some waste. So, my preliminary idea is to forge a Long Sword. A unique Long Sword, unlike any other."
Altaïr listened, a bit stunned. "What do you mean, a unique Long Sword?"
On the always impassive face of the Wyverian artisan, a flicker of unusual excitement appeared. "A thicker, heavier Long Sword. Closer to a double-edged Great Sword than a traditional Long Sword.
"In its sheathed state, you could even use the entire sword and scabbard as an actual Great Sword. What do you think?"
(Translated by yourtl.app)