The beast tamer exiled from the hero’s party and the cat eared girl from the strongest race meet
The preparations for repairing the Comet Sword proceeded smoothly.
The kingdom had already made the necessary arrangements in advance, though partway through, Chiffon put a stop to things...
Because of that, everything was ready to begin the process at any time.
To reforge the sword, an immense amount of magical power and a top-class craftsman were required.
With everyone here, the magical power wouldn't be an issue.
As for the craftsman...
"It's been a while, Rain."
"Gantz!?"
I had joined the meeting, and that's where I unexpectedly reunited with Gantz.
This was far too unexpected—I was genuinely surprised.
"Why is Gantz here…? No, I suppose I don’t even need to ask. But still, to think you’d be the one reforging the Comet Sword…"
"I initially refused, saying such a grand task was beyond me. But they insisted that I was the most suitable person for the job... and, well, I can’t say I disliked the compliment. Besides, reforging a legendary weapon is a truly rewarding task. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this the culmination of my career as a craftsman. So, I decided to accept the challenge."
"Makes sense. If it's you, Gantz, we can trust the sword in your hands. Not just us—even the Comet Sword itself will be pleased."
"Sheesh… We haven’t seen each other in ages, but you haven’t changed one bit, have you?"
"You think so?"
"Only you could say something that stirs a craftsman’s heart and soul like that."
We laughed together, happy to see each other again after so long.
Watching us, Chiffon had a somewhat exasperated yet impressed look on her face.
"Should I be saying ‘As expected of Rain’ here? I can’t believe you even know Gantz."
"Hmm? Is that really so surprising? We were active in the same town—it wouldn’t be strange for us to have met somewhere."
"Gantz is pretty stubborn, you know? He hardly ever got close to anyone. I heard that even when he was in the royal capital, he was pretty isolated."
"Wait, Gantz was in the royal capital?"
"Yeah… Well, that’s right."
Gantz suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable.
Did he not want to talk about his time in the royal capital?
"To be honest… I was even more of a mess back then than when I first met you, Rain. Thinking back on it now, it’s embarrassing—I was incredibly stubborn and difficult to deal with."
"I actually met him a few times back then, and ‘stubborn’ doesn’t even begin to cover it. He was practically a misanthrope."
"I can’t tell if I can picture that or not…"
It must have been quite something.
Seeing Chiffon’s wry smile, I got a sense of how difficult it must have been.
"Ugh, enough about the past. What matters now is repairing the Comet Sword."
It was clear he was trying to dodge the topic, but I decided not to point it out.
"The tools and environment are all set. I can begin the work anytime—but what about you two?"
"I'm good to go. I always keep the Comet Sword with me, and I’m prepared to oversee the reforging."
"Do you need to be there for it?"
"Yeah. The sword is my personal equipment. For it to fully recognize its wielder, I have to be present during the reforging."
"I see. Oh, right. As for me—or rather, all of us—I need you to wait a little. Specifically… about three days."
Reforging the sword required an immense amount of magical power.
And when it came to magic, that meant relying on the spirit-folk, Sora and Luna.
However, they had exhausted themselves healing Iris and were still recovering.
They were conscious and could speak normally, but whenever they tried to move, they would stumble. Right now, they were resting.
Elfin was taking care of them, so they would probably recover by tomorrow or the day after…
But just to be safe, I wanted them to rest for a few more days.
"Understood. That’s no problem at all. There’s no need to rush, and we definitely don’t want Sora and Luna overexerting themselves."
"Thanks. That really helps."
"So, with all preparations in mind, shall we set the reforging for five days from now?"
Neither Chiffon nor I had any objections, and so the schedule was set.
――――――――――
Five days later.
"Fwahahaha! I have returned!!"
"Luna, you're being too loud."
"Fugyu!?"
Luna let out a triumphant laugh, only to be met with Sora’s iron-fisted punishment.
Letting out a strange cry, Luna collapsed to the ground.
Seeing this, Gantz’s expression turned slightly doubtful.
"Hey, Rain… Are these two really okay?"
"Yeah, they’re fine. Normally, well… they’re like this. But you can count on them when it matters."
"I see. Hmm, if you say so, then I suppose there’s no issue."
And so, the repairs on the Comet Sword began.
Worried about Sora and Luna overexerting themselves, I decided to stay and watch.
Sora and Luna stood on either side of Gantz, while Chiffon positioned herself slightly ahead.
As they channeled their magic, the worn-down Comet Sword began to glow.
Gantz gripped his hammer and started striking—clang, clang—the sound rang out.
Each time Gantz brought the hammer down, the rust clinging to the Comet Sword fell away.
The sword absorbed the magical energy, restoring its missing parts.
But that alone wasn’t enough.
It had to be reforged into the ultimate sword.
Fueled by sheer determination, Gantz continued hammering with unwavering focus.
Sweat dripped down his face, his breathing grew heavy from exhaustion, yet he never once stopped.
He was quite literally forging his soul into this blade.
Without taking a single break, Gantz swung his hammer relentlessly.
All we could do was stand back and watch.
And then…
"…It’s done."
After nearly half a day, Gantz finally lowered his hammer.
With a quiet murmur, he declared the task complete.
"Gantz, is it finished?"
"Yes. This is your sword, lass."
Exhausted, Gantz swayed unsteadily.
I quickly reached out to keep him from collapsing.
"Sorry about that," he muttered before handing Chiffon the newly reforged sword.
"This is… the Comet Sword…"
Its blade was as clear as crystal, radiating a soft, ethereal glow.
That glow was likely the magic of Sora and Luna.
Their energy was so immense that even from a distance, I could feel a shiver run down my spine.
"Yes. Without a doubt, this is my greatest masterpiece. Take good care of it."
"I will!"
Chiffon accepted the Comet Sword, nodding firmly with determination.
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