"Well… no."

Tsubaki rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, glancing sidelong at Akira.

"I did consider giving it a good name, but in the end, I decided to leave that to you."

She hesitated briefly, then brightened with a suggestion, her voice cheerful. "For instance, my favorite weapon is called Benishigure! How about taking that as a reference? You could call it Kinshigure, maybe?"

(Note: Beni means red and Kin means gold in japanese)

"Absolutely not." Akira replied without missing a beat, shaking his head decisively.

His expression was deadpan, as though she had suggested naming a majestic steed "Potato."

"That name doesn't match the sword's style at all. I'm not using it."

As he mulled over possibilities, an image surfaced in his mind. Alise's rapier.

If he remembered correctly, it was named Crimson Order, and this new sword of his… it reminded him of the Sword of Promised Victory from stories long past.

In that moment of clarity, he declared, his gaze falling back on the blade in his hand, "Then let's call it Oath of Justice."

Without borrowing an ounce of inspiration from Tsubaki's naming sense, Akira nodded to himself with a rare hint of satisfaction.

His fingertips glided gently along the sword's smooth edge—strange, given that they bore no calluses despite the weapon's weight and strength.

'I have sworn to justice... and I will uphold the ideals I set when I took that oath.'

Yes. That name fit. The color, the design—it all spoke of nobility and purpose.

"You totally ignored my suggestion." Tsubaki grumbled, arms akimbo, giving him an exaggerated pout before laughing it off.

"But hey, if you're happy with it, then I guess it's fine. Still think Kinshigure sounded cool though…"

Suddenly, her eyes lit up with recollection. "Oh! Almost forgot—your pair of arm guards!"

She spun around, rummaged through a room in the back, and soon returned carrying a box. Inside lay a pair of pitch-black arm guards, sleek and beautifully crafted.

"They're made with lightweight hard steel and the materials you provided. Should fit you perfectly."

Before Akira could protest or even thank her, Tsubaki took it upon herself to fasten them personally.

With surprising gentleness for someone known as the Cyclops, she grabbed his arm and deftly adjusted the straps, tightening them for a snug fit.

Akira raised his right arm experimentally, gripping the hilt of his new sword. He stepped back, drew the blade in one smooth motion, and swung it through the air. The sword traced several gleaming arcs in the light, elegant yet powerful.

Though the addition of the arm guards added a trace of weight, it was negligible—at least for someone like Akira. His movements remained fluid and precise.

After a few more swings, he gave a satisfied nod and said, "These arm guards fit perfectly. Thank you."

Sliding the sword back into the scabbard—also gifted by Tsubaki, Akira offered a warm smile. "Really. I appreciate it."

Tsubaki responded with her usual bravado, patting him heartily on the shoulder, "Oh, come on now! No need to be so formal with me. It's nothing! Just a small favor. If you've got any more commissions in the future, you know where to find me!"

Just then, Akira remembered something important. He reached into his coat and fumbled for a moment before pulling out a folded piece of parchment.

Unfolding it, he handed it over to Tsubaki. On it was drawn a detailed insignia: a sword and a pair of wings entwined together, forming the unique crest of the Astraea Familia.

Akira said, "I've already cleared it with my familia. You can send someone over to our base with this to settle the payment."

"Got it. Thanks for your patronage!" Tsubaki said, giving a mock salute as she tucked the parchment into her waistband.

The writing on the voucher, written in Orario's common script, was a little crooked—Akira's own work, painstakingly crafted after many hours of learning. Even he had to admit it looked a little wonky compared to the elegant handwriting of others.

But Tsubaki didn't say anything about it. Her gaze lingered for a moment on the Astraea emblem, then she gave her head a little shake, black hair swaying behind her.

"Oh, Akira—hold up a sec!"

She leaned forward, palms flat on the worktable, and called out just as he turned to leave the workshop. Her expression shifted slightly, brows furrowed as if remembering something important.

"You're planning to head straight into the dungeon now, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Akira replied casually.

His dark pupils blinked as he looked away from the sword hanging at his hip and met Tsubaki's gaze.

"It's a new weapon. I want to try it out as soon as possible. Isn't that what most adventurers do?"

"Yup. That's what makes you guys tick." Tsubaki agreed with a chuckle and a shrug.

"Actually, that works out perfectly. I've got a commission. What floor are you headed to?"

"Twenty-sixth floor. Why?"

"Perfect." She said, nodding approvingly.

"No problem, then."

Akira, slightly cautious by nature, didn't agree right away. "What kind of commission is it? And what's the reward?"

Tsubaki leaned back, rubbing her neck, her face taking on a slightly more serious look.

"Well… strictly speaking, this is supposed to be a guild matter. But those exploration-type familias have been ignoring it for days now."

As she spoke, she crouched behind the table and pulled out a few parchments from a drawer underneath—somewhat haphazardly stuffed inside and worth maybe twenty valis each.

"There's something odd going on deep in the 24th floor of the dungeon."

The air subtly shifted at her words. Her tone, though casual, carried a trace of unease.

She unfurled one of the parchments—a formal commission document stamped with both the Guild's and Hephaestus Familia's seals.

She caught Akira's eye and offered a dry chuckle. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Technically, it's not my place as a blacksmith to poke into this stuff. But I was the one who first stumbled upon it."

"Just an investigation?" Akira asked, narrowing his eyes as he scanned the document.

Thanks to his hard-earned study of the local language, he was able to extract the essentials. "There's no detailed objective listed?"

Tsubaki said, "Exactly. Just go take a look. I came across it the last time I was down there looking for hard steel. It'd be great if it turns out to be nothing…"

But the tightness in her voice and the faint frown on her lips said she didn't believe that.

"As for the reward… that's where things get tricky."

She tapped the remuneration section with a finger, her discontent obvious.

"Since the Guild hasn't made a big deal out of it, the reward's pretty minimal. It'll depend entirely on what kind of information you bring back. Probably why no one's stepped up to take it."