"I'd like to see you try," Shirley sneered.
"You…"
"Stop it, Shirley," Elizabeth chastised. She was not entirely happy behind her friend's rude entry. "I apologize for my Protector's behavior. I will pay for any damages to the door and the walls. I hope nobody is harmed."
"Hmph. That door was worth a small fortune."
She rolled her eyes. "We can debate that another time. How goes my request?"
He snorted and placed his wine bottle down. "I did finish it, but I have to say… it goes against my principles as a weaponsmith. A weapon is supposed to be a balance between material, form, and function. Your request to forge the hardest and most durable weapon, regardless of proper form or function, is the exact opposite of everything I stand for. Normally, I would have ignored this stupid idea, but since it came from Your Highness-"
"Enough. I get it."
"Here." He grabbed something and threw it over to Shirley, who caught it with ease.
Elizabeth and Shirley looked at the dull clump of metal that was vaguely in the shape of a dagger. Or at least that was what it resembled. They were unsure what it was, since it lacked a proper edge or handle. It was heavy and unbalanced too, giving Shirley trouble in holding it. If she was not a Half-Perception Realm, then she might have dropped it already. This crude design was not wholly the weaponsmith's fault though. Although the material used to make it was extraordinarily durable, it was nigh-impossible to melt, much less forge into a proper shape. To push it this far was already very admirable!
"How durable is it exactly?" Elizabeth asked.
"Let me show you. Try hitting it with this hammer against the anvil."
Shirley shrugged and did as he said. Grabbing a hammer, she slammed the back of the 'dagger' into the anvil. Clang! To their surprise, the 'dagger' did not bend or break. It was actually the anvil that received a deep dent! The dagger was harder than the anvil! Certainly, this hardness would make it challenging to forge.
However, the weaponsmith was surprised for another reason. He stared at Shirley and said, "You're a strong lass, aren't you? Even I couldn't do that."
"Huh? I didn't use any Martial Energy though."
She was telling the truth. Since she was a Half-Perception Realm, it meant she gained a physique that transcended common sense. She could exert strength far beyond what a person normally could! And that was discounting Martial Energy, which she promptly decided to use. Concentrating Martial Energy into her fingertips, she massively increased her crushing power. This made the man's eyes bulge. He could not believe it! That unmalleable metal that he spent days painstaking molding was bending under Shirley's grasp! How much force was required? He was terrified to imagine it! Suddenly, he regretted mocking Elizabeth and Shirley. Crunch! The dagger fully crushed under the pressure, turning into scrap metal. This disappointed Elizabeth. She was looking to create a suitable weapon to handle their newfound power. It was the second goal she mentioned in the banquet party.
"Ah, sorry," Shirley said.
"No problem, Lady Shirley," he replied with a smile. His sudden cooperation gave them shivers.
"Is it possible to make anything better?" Elizabeth asked.
"That… will be challenging, Your Highness. This Black Tiger Iron is among the hardest metals that I can reasonably make a weapon out of. Anything harder, and I can't use it."
"What about this then?" She presented the mysterious rock to him.
"It's harder than the metal I used, but… it feels brittle like glass. How strange. I've never seen anything like it. What is it called?"
"I don't know."
"I might be able to make something out of it, if you're willing to give it to me. I promise you won't be disappointed."
"That won't be necessary. If you make anything better than the previous dagger, please let me know. I'm willing to pay for all material and processing costs."
"Understood."
Elizabeth and Shirley boarded the carriage and quickly left. They went to two more places. The next was a shop in the commoner's district, who specialized in using Arcania to craft armors. For example, instead of using traditional fire to melt ores down, they would use fire-type magic. This should theoretically improve the overall quality of the finish, according to the shopkeeper. Sadly, it did not hold up against one of Shirley's Martial Energy punches! Leaving the baffled smith behind, they headed to the First Celestial Magic University. Unlike the previous two smiths, the university specialized in a purely Arcania-based approach to creating weapons. They were pioneering Arcania-smithing!
Speaking of which, it was Elizabeth and Shirley's first time stepping into a school this big, which made them very interested in everything they saw. It was ironic in a way. People would have assumed they had excellent schooling, since Elizabeth was a princess and Shirley a Royal Guard; however, they could not be further from the truth. Elizabeth did receive tutelage as part of her royal training, but she never formally attended a school. The only 'school' she enrolled in was on New Havens when she was seven or eight, and it had fifteen other students her age. The teacher was an old lady who had a crooked smile and a fierce temper. She would often hurl curses, and even books at them, if they interrupted her. Despite that, Elizabeth learned how to read and write, and do basic arithmetic from her. Shirley had a similar childhood on Lour Island. The two girls spent some time exploring the First Celestial Magic University and spoke to many instructors and students, who were unaware of who they were. It was time well-spent, because the Arcane smiths were the least impressive of the bunch. Their equipment was not even ready yet. Sighing, they finally visited the Featherwind Sect.
The five elder birds had brought their broken airship to somewhere outside the city, deep in the forest, where no one could bother them. This was a smart decision. After all, many people still considered them enemies for what they did in the war. The Maelstrom Gulf, the Battle of Liguang, and even the Siege on Yongtein… They killed so many people and inflicted so much pain. It was hard to forgive them. Moreover, the birds did not think it was a problem. In the wider world, the lives of Rank 1 Mortals were as fleeting as the wind. They had little to no value. That was the cruel truth in a world where strength reigned supreme! Therefore, to have the birds and the people of the Zino Kingdom interact was bound to cause problems. It was better to keep them separate for now.
Of course, both the Alzar and Zino Kingdom did know that the Featherwind Sect were moving here. Queen Samanthie was happy to settle them far away from the Xingyuu Empire. That was because although they were a powerful deterrent, their loyalty was vague to say the least. They could ruin everything the kingdom fought hard to achieve. The Zino Kingdom, on the other hand, wanted to learn more about the birds and their flying ship. The kingdom hoped to apply this newfound knowledge to their gliders and warships. However, the Featherwind Sect wanted an equal trade, since they had nothing to gain and everything to lose. Negotiations stalled until Elizabeth advocated for them. Basically, they would tell the Zino Kingdom how their airship functioned, and in exchange, they would need help to repair it. It was a win-win situation. Elizabeth bringing this mysterious rock was part of the deal.
The carriage stopped by the roadside, where Elizabeth and Shirley disembarked. She was supposed to have more guards, but Elizabeth explicitly declined to take them with her. There was no point in bringing more people anyways. She and Shirley were arguably stronger than most of the guards. They could protect themselves. The two girls were at home in the forest, despite the unfamiliar surroundings. Elizabeth was reading the map, and Shirley was using her Martial Perception to locate landmarks. Together, they reached the clearing where the Featherwind Sect was within half an hour. There was supposed to be a large illusionary barrier around the area that covered their existence, except it was taken down, since they knew Elizabeth was coming. She inhaled and felt her Core stir. Even her mind felt clearer. What rich World Energy! This was a heavenly place to train. The birds knew how to choose. The broken airship was in the middle of the clearing, and the five elder birds descended to greet them.