Raiden Makoto wandered for who-knows-how-long, probably swinging by the Shogunate to handle some work. By the time she returned to Reisen Riou's estate, he'd already emerged from his Serenitea Pot-like space.
He and Raiden Ei were tinkering with the armor. Reisen's forging skill was solid—LV7—but it paled next to Ei's. Plus, he'd never designed armor before, so his approach was a bit naive.
What he thought was decent armor? Ei casually pointed out a dozen flaws and seven major design blunders—mostly sloppy details and poorly handled joints.
Then Ei streamlined the Heartguard's crafting process and refined its spells, upgrading the Thunder Elixir technique. A single wisp of her enhanced Thunder Elixir obliterated a mass of curse energy, reducing a Beast Realm Hound claw Reisen used for tests to ash.
Though their Thunder Elixirs were the same major version, Ei's deeper mastery of Electro outclassed Reisen's in evolving its medicinal properties. His version couldn't match that effect.
"Hey, Sister," Ei greeted Makoto, snatching the tricolor dango from her hands before diving back into the armor.
"What's this?" Makoto asked, eyeing the armor curiously.
"It's my counter for those cursed beasts," Reisen said, conjuring an Ei-improved Heartguard. "This is the core. It's stacked with three anti-curse powers."
"Transfer, dispel, and purification, plus a bonus boost to curse resistance," he added.
"Sounds slick. What's the cost?" Makoto asked, arms crossed, watching Ei bustle around the armor.
"Ei and I simplified the process as much as we could. It'll cost a bit more than standard armor,"
Reisen said. "Needs shrine maidens or onmyoji to inscribe talismans and spells during forging."
"It demands high forging and spellcraft skill, but that's no issue. Inazuma's crawling with master smiths and casters."
Mass-producing such armor would be a nightmare for most Teyvat nations. But thanks to Reisen's tech boom, Inazuma had no shortage of skilled smiths and talisman-savvy shrine maidens. Filling simplified armor orders wouldn't be easy, but it was doable.
"How's your new bow? Feel good?" Makoto asked.
"Too good," Reisen grinned, pulling Inazuma Stringlight from his Vision's storage.
He flicked the string, and purple light danced along the bow, giving it a magical glow.
"This is a masterpiece. That so-called Khaenri'ahn national treasure? Trash compared to this." Reisen felt the bow hadn't reached its peak, yet it already rivaled that fully maxed Khaenri'ahn relic.
"Glad you're happy. I saw it clear as day—Ei poured her heart into forging yours," Makoto teased, pulling out her mirror. "See? She didn't put this much love into mine."
"Sister!" Ei protested.
"Look, Ei's blushing," Makoto chuckled.
…
After a night of work, Ei and Reisen finalized the armor's details.
The Heartguard remained the core, but now the other plates weren't just for protection. Using a cheaper magic-storing alloy, they gained some curse-storage capacity. Ei's research even boosted their curse resistance when charged.
The final cost: 11 million Mora—2 million for labor, 9 million for materials. The Shogunate's bulk price was 7 million Mora, free for Hatamoto and generals.
By artifact standards, it was a three-star piece—standardized gear, not epic-tier. Why so pricey compared to four-star weapons? Armor used hefty materials, sometimes worth dozens or hundreds of standard blades.
Weapon costs varied too. Bows, greatswords, and polearms were priciest, demanding top smithing skill. Longswords, katanas, and daggers were cheaper. Catalysts' costs depended on their imbued knowledge and spell strength.
Makoto's unassuming mirror? A legit five-star divine catalyst. A backup for her, but in the hands of a top-tier non-Archon like Yae Saiguu, it could unleash Archon-level attacks at its limit.
"Finally done. Wanna celebrate? My treat," Reisen said, handing blueprints to arriving Okuzumeshu, hands on hips.
"You cooking? I want Liyue cuisine—Buddha's Temptation," Makoto teased.
"Deal." Reisen had planned a mushroom feast, but Makoto's suggestion sparked his craving for Liyue dishes. Few in Inazuma could cook them well, so he'd do it himself.
"I'll prep. Buddha's Temptation takes time. Check my pot for missing ingredients. You two stroll, then come to my pot for dinner," Reisen said.
Makoto and Ei left happily, saying they'd bring others, so he should cook extra.
Reisen shrugged, glancing at the armor prototype. He didn't need it but kept it as a collectible.
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