Chapter 558

Consulting with Alizée about the Farewell Gift
From Teysa’s place, I headed to the Trade Guild to consult with Alizée.
It seemed she had also been waiting for me, as she too had something to discuss.

"Welcome, Lady Lily. I actually had something to tell you as well."

"Did something happen?"

"I’ve finally found someone to be my assistant. I’ll introduce them to you later. But first, let’s settle the matter you came here for today."

Hmm, so Alizée’s assistant has been decided.
Since it’s something that concerns me too, I should make sure to greet them properly.
For now, though, it’s about the equipment.

"I see… so you’re looking for either a fantasy metal or magic swords."

"Yes. Which one would be easier to obtain?"

"To be honest, both are quite difficult. As you’ve probably already been told, magic swords depend heavily on compatibility with the wielder. If the match is poor, it’s nothing more than junk. Simply finding one for sale won’t do."

"So that leaves the fantasy metal… but that’s also hard to get, isn’t it?"

"Yes, that’s right. With your influence, Lady Lily, you could probably have nearby Trade Guilds gather it on a wide scale. Even so, I doubt enough material could be collected right away. On top of that, fantasy metal is said to be incompatible with ordinary or magic metals, so it can’t be made into alloys."

Eh, that’s the first I’ve heard of that.
When I asked Fanny, she confirmed it was true.
Fantasy metal basically isn’t alloyed.

"… Alloying fantasy metal is essentially impossible. The only exception would be for amplifying materials it’s combined with from the start."

"Are there materials worth amplifying even if it takes fantasy metal to do it?"

"… Yes. For example, the heartwood of an Elder Treant’s branch used for a staff."

… Ah, right, we still had something like that left.
Back when Hannon made weapons, she only used the tips of the branches, so the thick part was still left behind.
If I base it on that and use fantasy metal for amplification, it might work.
Alright, that’s some progress.

"Are there any other special uses?"

"… There are, but the difficulty is high."

"That’s fine. Please tell me anyway."

"There’s a method of combining a powerful gem with monster summoning cards obtained from dungeons. It won’t be a one-use item, and thanks to the card’s effect, both the gem and the weapon itself are protected, making it durable. But unless the card is a powerful one, it won’t mean much, so it’s tough to pull off. Plus, the gem needed is another issue."

Ahh, I actually have an idea about that too.
Back when I dived into a dungeon, I picked up some gemstones imbued with magic power and decided not to sell them.
Those might work.
If I can just solve the fantasy metal issue, it feels like the equipment problem will be resolved all at once.

What do you think about this chapter?