After waiting quite a while for Finn's delight to settle down, he finally snapped back to his senses after spending roughly an hour staring at [Durindana Pilum] with a silly grin on his face.
"Here I am, with guests right in front of me, and I was lost in thought. How much time has—"
"One hour."
"...?"
"You spent an hour grinning at that spear."
"...I did?"
"You did."
"I see..."
"Sorry... You haven't had dinner, right? Want to eat before you go?"
"Then I'll gratefully accept."
When I followed Finn down to the dining hall of Twilight Manor, it happened to be dinnertime, and the place was packed with Loki Familia members. Gareth and Riveria Ljos Alf... [Nine Hell] were there as well.
"You're eating rather late for once, Finn."
"I received a fine weapon, you see. I got so caught up admiring it that I lost track of time and only just came to my senses, Gareth."
"Ah... It's been a week. Have you been well? I'll come take a look later and see just how good this thing is, Finn."
"It's good to see you again, Gareth... And it's a pleasure to meet you for the first time, [Nine Hell]."
I barely kept my face from stiffening as I greeted Gareth and [Nine Hell]. Honestly, I disliked elves. Pointy-eared bastards steeped in racial supremacy, who believed they alone were the greatest... that was my impression of elves. Of course, there might be some open-minded elves if one looked hard enough... but those sorts of elves were practically ostracized by other elves to begin with...
Perhaps she instinctively sensed that I found her uncomfortable, but thankfully, she did not try to talk to me. She merely gave me a nod of greeting.
"Come on, let's eat already. It smells especially good today, doesn't it?"
Finn, proving that he was not the captain for nothing, picked up on the mood and changed the topic to dinner.
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They filled their stomachs.
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"So, we ought to try the weapon at least once. Are we heading into the Dungeon now?"
"No matter how much Finn likes his weapon, there's no way he'd go down into the Dungeon at this hour. Try using your head, shorty dwarf."
"Hmm..."
"Don't tell me you are, Finn?"
"Well... I feel like if I try it right now, I'll get a feel for how to handle it from now on..."
"Hahahahahahahaha!"
"Stop laughing, shorty dwarf!"
"Ahem... So, Smith? You made it, after all. Wouldn't you like to come with us?"
"...Me? Then that makes five of us in total. Well, with three Level 5s, there shouldn't be a problem no matter what happens."
"Sigh... It's practically night already... Fine, let's go."
"Don't worry. We'll just test the weapon on the upper floors. Though I would like to try taking down Goliath with a thrown spear... but the Freya Familia killed it recently, so it won't be there..."
"...That sounds like you would have gone down to kill it if the Freya Familia hadn't gotten to it first?"
"Hahaha!"
"Exactly! That is how a warrior ought to be!"
How should I put it? They got along incredibly well. There was an air about them that said they did not mind showing each other their true selves, without a single pretense between them. If one could make friends like these, perhaps that alone would fulfill one of life's goals.
If simply being together was enough to call one another friends, even if they gathered in one place and did nothing at all, then surely that could be called a truly fulfilled life.
A line I had seen somewhere in my previous life suddenly came to mind.
I want to remember you.
That I had a friend named you.
That there was a time when you and I were friends.
A friend... Would that be Limus? Thinking that, I suddenly looked at Jian, who was busily gnawing on a chicken drumstick beside me. What did I think of Jian...
"Well, we've nearly finished eating. Shall we go?"
"Ah, yes."
When I came back to myself, everyone had somehow finished eating and was getting ready to clear up. As I rose, I felt as though someone was watching me, so I looked around carefully, but no one was looking at me... What was that?
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They headed for the Dungeon.
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"Honestly, there's no real need to swing the weapon around. From the very first moment I held it, it fit my hand perfectly, like a weapon I'd used for years."
"Are you... trying to joke around, Finn?"
"Whoa, wait. You should listen until someone is finished speaking. The reason I came here is to throw it."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"The true worth of this weapon... [Durindana Pilum] reveals itself when it is thrown, the smith who made it personally. Told me. So, Smith? Will you tell me about the chant you mentioned earlier?"
"There is originally a chant, but... since you, Finn, are now the owner of [Durindana Pilum], you should be able to set it however you wish. For example... yes, something like, [All Glory to the Hands of the Prums]."
"[All Glory to the Hands of the Prums]... That's cool. Gareth, Riveria, do you have any chants worth recommending?"
"Hmm, I've never used magic, so I wouldn't know... Wouldn't that pointy-eared elf who fires magic all day know something?"
"...[Thus shall you grasp the glory of the entire world in your hands, and all darkness shall retreat before you.]"
"Hmm... You really did come up with something cool. I'm torn over which one to choose."
"...Since you are throwing a spear, wouldn't a short, concise chant be better than one that is long and complicated?"
I said that while glancing at [Nine Hell], and fortunately, she did not seem to mind.
"Hmm. Then, I'm sorry to Riveria for going to the trouble of answering, but I'll use the chant Smith mentioned first."
"Then, are you throwing it now?"
"I should. We've arrived at a cavern, after all. There isn't any particular procedure needed to throw it, right?"
"Since the thrust comes from your elbow, it would be better to throw with the back of your hand facing upward rather than turning your arm over. And no one should be standing behind you."
"Understood. Then..."
Finn assumed his stance, and at the same time, it felt as if the weight of the air around us had suddenly increased. Was this... fighting spirit? It looked like he intended to do this seriously.
Finn Deimne's Side
I turn my body sideways, look toward the direction of my throw, and gauge my target with one hand.
With the hand holding [Durindana Pilum], I grip it tightly enough to fear that it might break.
I lean my waist slightly forward to center my balance, and plant my feet firmly enough to withstand anything pressing down upon me from above.
Feet, legs, waist, back, shoulders, arms.
I tense and relax every muscle I will need for the throw once.
Once I take my stance, I understand how to throw this spear. And I understand that it is an object that will return to wherever I am whenever I wish it to. Seriously, both [Durindana Pilum] and the smith who made it are something else. I cast aside my stray thoughts and place an imaginary enemy ahead of me.
I picture Udaeus, the floor boss I have never faced before and have only seen in records.
The moment I decide to throw the spear, a sensation similar to when I used [Hell Finegas] rises within me. But this time, rather than the magic power I control spreading through my entire body, it feels as though the magic power stimulated by [Durindana Pilum] is flowing only into my arm. I pour in every bit of magic power the gauntlet can contain!
"[All Glory...
The instant I speak the first words, loaded with my will to throw the spear and strike true, a hot sensation rises from my elbow, and an enormous blaze begins to erupt in an instant. Incredible propulsion...! At this level of flame, anyone standing behind me would not even have their bones left to gather. The unexpected force rocks my body for a moment, but I steady myself again. And then...!
...to the Hands of the Prums!]"
I take a great step forward, link the force flowing through my knee, waist, back, shoulder, and elbow, and unleash it all to fire the spear! Just before the spear leaves my hand, the flames erupting from my elbow explode fiercely, adding one final burst of powerful propulsion.
Thoooom!
An invisible shock wave bursts forth, and in the blink of an eye, it pierces through the phantom Udaeus that was my target...
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
It keeps... flying?!
"Th-That..."
"Hah... Well, now..."
"Whaaa..."
"...(sniffle)"
Only after piercing through roughly ten walls did [Durindana Pilum] finally stop. Then, when I wished for it to return, it flew back into my hand with a whoosh.
For something that had flown through ten walls... it looked completely fine. After brushing off the stone dust and dirt clinging to it once or twice, all that remained was [Durindana Pilum], exactly as it had been when I first received it. I examine the spearhead from every angle, but there is not even a scratch—not to mention a chipped edge or a crack.
"...That's amazing."
"If you regulate the magic power appropriately, you should be able to adjust the power of the thrown spear as well. Just now, I think you crammed in as much magic power as it could possibly hold..."
"That's right. Though I had no idea it would have this much destructive power."
"...Even with half that amount, it would probably kill Goliath in one hit."
As Smith and I chatted for a while, Gareth approached and spoke to Smith.
"...Lad, have you any intention of making one more item?"
"Ah, I intend to take a break from custom orders for a while... No matter how big one hand may be, what I really need are many small hands to spread word of me. Besides, you made an exclusive contract with our captain, Gareth. I don't want to be beaten to death by him."
"Tch... Can't be helped, then. That's a shame."
"..."
Riveria beside us was giving me sparkling eyes and radiating a powerful aura of, I have questions! But I force myself to ignore her... Ignore her!
"...Come to the Familia, and I'll tell you as much as I can, so stop looking at me like that, Riveria."
"Who is looking at whom in what way...?!"
When Riveria said that, everyone present looked at her... So everyone had noticed after all.
"W-What are those looks for?!"
"..."
And so, I spent the entire night being hounded by Riveria and Gareth to spill information about Smith...