"The name of this sword is Azure Moon. It is the sword of a junior in our Familia. It's impossible to forge this weapon with Orario's technology. Since you say it's yours, then where did you get this sword?"
Although it was a complete caught-in-the-act situation, Mei did not immediately pass judgment. After all, there was a small possibility that the other party had found Bell's weapon.
"This... this is..."
The dog-eared girl couldn't answer at all, which was natural. If it weren't for the special nature of this weapon, she wouldn't have set her sights on it. With her discerning eye, she could tell that this weapon was extremely special in Orario.
But she didn't expect that Orario couldn't forge it!? That's a lie, the shop owner clearly said it was just special materials.
"Indeed, ladies, my name is Welf, and I am a blacksmith. This weapon, using only ordinary materials, actually forged an effect like a magic sword. May I meet this blacksmith!"
Looking at the excited red-haired young man in front of her, Mei smiled somewhat awkwardly, but she could also tell that the other party was merely a "buyer" who came because he saw the weapon's uniqueness.
It had nothing to do with the weapon's origin. So, the only one with a problem was...
Her gaze fell on the stammering girl, and the result was already obvious.
"I... I found it in the Dungeon."
The girl struggled for a long time, squeezing out a few words through clenched teeth.
"How is that possible!"
Kiana was about to refute the girl's statement when a familiar voice suddenly came from the back door.
"Kiana, Mei!"
Just then, Bell appeared near them.
"Bell, you…"
Mei remembered Bell went to the Dungeon early in the morning, but his weapon was here. Mei was a little worried at first, but it seemed like nothing bad had happened.
"I'm sorry, Mei!"
Bell suddenly bowed to Mei: "I accidentally lost the sword Takatsuki gave me."
"Lost it…"
Mei looked at the sword in Welf's hand, then looked at Welf.
The red-haired youth immediately understood, took the sword, and stepped forward to hand it over: "Is this the sword you lost?"
Hearing the stranger's voice, Bell looked up and immediately saw the sword in Welf's hand. His previously worried face instantly filled with surprise: "Ah! Azure Moon! Thank you, thank you!"
Taking the Azure Moon sword, Bell carefully put it away, but then looked at Welf with some confusion: "Excuse me, why is my sword with you?"
"Well… as for that reason, you might have to ask her."
Welf looked at the trembling girl behind him. If her path hadn't been invisibly blocked by them, she would have already run away.
"You…"
Bell saw the cloaked dog-person girl and uttered a voice filled with a hint of doubt. As Bell spoke, the girl's body trembled, and her hands tightly clutched the hem of her cloak.
"Thank you so much!"
Bell excitedly grasped the girl's hand, expressing his gratitude with a happy face, but this action clearly made the other party feel bewildered.
"Eh…"
"Ah… I was really scared when I found my weapon missing in the Dungeon. Thank you for helping me find it."
Welf, who was standing behind with his arms crossed, couldn't help but speak up when he saw this: "Um, Bell, is it? This girl was just about to sell your sword, but your two Familia companions discovered her and stopped her."
"But it's normal to want to sell something you found, right?"
Bell said with some confusion, then took a bag from his belt: "Although there's not much money here, consider it my thanks for helping me retrieve my sword."
"I'm sorry… I can't take it…"
The girl's body trembled when she heard Bell's words, then she pushed away the money bag that had been handed to her, suddenly bumped past Bell, and ran out from between them.
"Hey!"
Kiana wanted to chase, but Mei stopped her. She looked at Mei with some confusion, but Mei just shook her head without explaining.
However, Raiden, due to her invisible nature, floated behind the two: "This kid, he's not simple. Whether he truly thinks that way or is just pretending."
"What do you mean?"
Kiana also saw that Mei didn't want others to hear, so she summoned The Hand to ask on her behalf.
"What a clueless idiot. That sword was clearly not lost as he claimed, but stolen. And that kid knows who stole it, and he even knows that woman. But he didn't pursue the theft, instead, he actively offered her a reward. Perhaps he thinks she has some unspeakable difficulty."
Looking at Bell, who was already chatting with Welf, Kiana scratched her head. She had thought he was a pure, innocent boy, but she didn't expect him to have such cunning?
But it was good that his underlying intention wasn't bad; he chose to feign ignorance to let the other party off the hook.
"I'm truly sorry, this sword was given to me by my senior, and it's a very important item, so I cannot sell it to you."
Welf didn't say anything after the girl ran away, but directly expressed his purpose to Bell.
"How about this, can you introduce me to that blacksmith?"
As soon as Welf spoke, Mei, who was standing nearby, said: "You're going to be disappointed. That blacksmith isn't in Orario. We're just users."
"I see. No wonder there aren't any Dungeon materials on it."
Welf didn't question Mei's statement, but sighed regretfully: "Then can I borrow this sword to study it? I'm very curious about the craftsmanship and techniques used."
"In return, I'll give you my work. Wait a moment!"
Welf quickly put down the wooden box he was carrying on his back, took out several pieces of armor from it, and handed them to Bell.
"You are Mr. Welf Crozzo!?"
Bell took the armor, looked at the name engraved on it, and exclaimed in surprise.
"You know me."
Bell immediately nodded, then turned sideways to let the other party see the light armor he was wearing: "I've bought your work before, it's very useful."
"Hahaha! I see, I didn't expect you to be a customer of mine."
Looking at the armor in his hands, Bell was also tempted. He looked at Mei and Kiana, who were standing by watching, with some difficulty.
"You decide. Even if Takatsuki were here, he would say the same. Since it's already given to you, it's yours. You just take responsibility for it."