Aether had always preferred to do things with a plan.
So when he forged the prototype Universal Shovel, it wasn't meant to serve frontline adventurers at all. Rather, it was a tool best suited for supporters.
That was why, when Welf suggested a "sparring match" earlier, Aether had refused without a second thought.
After all, when it came to weapons, between the conjured Genshin weapons and the countless weapon types Orario had refined through thousands of years of evolution, he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could rival the Goddess of Smithing.
So naturally… he chose to play it smart.
After all,
"Supporters' casualty rates have never been lower than adventurers'."
"If this little tool can improve their working conditions even a little, then I'd consider that a job well done."
That was how Aether explained it as he sat down before the forge, assembling the finished prototype.
Hearing this, Welf stroked his chin and leaned closer, curious.
"Not a bad idea. But… does it actually work?"
"You'll see for yourself."
CLICK!
With a crisp mechanical snap, the prototype locked into place. Aether demonstrated with practiced ease, unfolding and reconfiguring the Universal Shovel into a mountaineer's pick, a chisel, a wood-cutting saw, an axe blade… and finally, collapsing the handle into a compact form that doubled as a small shield.
When he handed it over, Welf's eyes gleamed. No doubt, any young man, especially a blacksmith, would be fascinated by a gadget like this.
After some trial and error, Welf admitted it:
"This thing really is perfect for supporters."
But then,
"…Isn't making this awfully troublesome?" He frowned. "There's no way you can mass-produce it, right?"
Aether only chuckled, clearly expecting the question.
"The mass-production version doesn't need to be this refined. For example, the shovel blade doesn't have to be forged with Damascus steel."
"And as for materials… if I remember correctly, the cheap gear you see at roadside stalls only costs a few thousand valis."
"Some supporters can't even afford that much. But since this tool's strength lies in its design structure rather than raw quality, we can cut down on the material grade."
"We'll simply mark each model with the dungeon floor range it's safe for. That way, nobody will overestimate it."
"As for production, skip forging, use molds for casting. That'll cut labor time by a huge margin."
"After all, ordinary-grade weapon materials melt just fine under a normal flame."
Welf blinked, impressed.
"So you've already got it all figured out, huh?"
He gave the Imperial Adamantite prototype a few experimental swings. Good balance. Good weight.
Then his expression froze.
"Wait. Did you just say… a version only for certain dungeon floors? Don't tell me, "
"Heh. You caught on."
Aether smirked.
"Yeah. Starting from our next dungeon run, I'll be testing these models. And with you there, I can get professional feedback."
His eyes narrowed knowingly.
"Adventurers have to learn to manage their time, and make full use of the resources and connections at hand."
"…You sly bastard."
Though they'd only known each other a few days, and belonged to different Familias, their relationship had already grown close.
Welf could tell Aether was half-joking… but also half-serious.
So, with a resigned grin, he tossed the shovel back and flashed a sharp-toothed smile.
"Well, no help. Looks like I've boarded your pirate ship. But hey, mutual benefit, helping others, and aiming for a win-win? Sounds like the work of a proper adventurer to me."
Aether stood and extended his right hand.
"Then let's do our best, Welf."
"Yeah~!"
They clapped hands, sealing the deal with a grin.
Everyone knew: forging and casting were completely different crafts.
Forging? Put simply: hammering hot metal.
Casting? A technique from ancient Huaxia, where molten metal was poured into molds to form tools.
And since forging already handled high-grade materials, casting ordinary ones would be even easier.
But where do the molds come from, you ask?
Simple.
[Ningguang].
In the past few days, aside from drawing plenty of three-star weapons, Aether had also obtained a new four-star Genshin character.
With a Geo-user on hand, making molds was child's play.
And though he couldn't delve too deep into the Dungeon while dragging Welf along, that didn't matter.
Wasn't Lumine still around?
Back during their last expedition, Aether had confirmed that his Star Abyss skill calculated buff efficiency based on whichever Traveler twin was deepest in the Dungeon.
Meaning if Lumine went further alone, she could effortlessly feed massive EXP to the benched [Ningguang].
So really, this wasn't just "two birds with one stone."
It was three.
And if you counted Aether's own growth…
"Let's call it a day."
"See you tomorrow."
"Yeah. Tomorrow."
As evening fell, Aether left Welf's workshop after setting a time and place for tomorrow's meeting.
He'd just received Lumine's message: the girls' shopping trip had ended, and they were heading to the Hostess of Fertility.
Naturally, he couldn't keep them waiting.
Jogging through the streets, Aether smiled to himself.
Another fulfilling day in this otherworld. And tomorrow will be even more exciting… heh. I can't wait.
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Footnotes
Ningguang – A Geo-element character from Genshin Impact, here used by Aether (Renjiro) for making stone molds through magical means.