Chapter 75
Cecile stopped working and wiped the sweat from her horns.
Ariella’s short bob haircut would already be considered shockingly short in the human world, but Cecile’s hair was even shorter—cut close like a boy’s.
The short brown hair made her long horns stand out even more.
By her workbench, dozens of swords and spears were neatly stacked.
“Are these all finished weapons?” Ariella asked.
Cecile adjusted the magnifying lens on her eye and replied,
“Yes. I was planning to do one last functionality check and deliver them to the Demon Lord’s Castle tomorrow.”
“Can I try one?”
“Of course! You can even swing it around here if you want!”
Ariella quickly picked up a sword and gripped the hilt with both hands. Cecile’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, eager to see her reaction.
Ariella lifted the sword with force, but—
“Huh?”
She was surprised. It felt far too light.
“It’s this light?”
“Right? It’s light, isn’t it? Feels like a feather, doesn’t it?!” Cecile burst out, talking fast, clearly thrilled with Ariella’s reaction.
“This is amazing,” Ariella murmured.
She had held swords used in the Demon Lord’s army before, and this was nothing like what she remembered.
The blade was broad, like a broadsword, yet it felt as light as a rapier.
Ariella’s eyes narrowed as she examined a tiny magic circle engraved into the sword’s guard. Magical energy pulsed from it, flowing through the entire weapon.
“So this is the core?”
“Yes. I carved and embedded a mana stone into it. All it needs is periodic recharging,” Cecile explained.
“I’ve never seen a mana stone cut so small.”
“This is nothing!” Cecile beamed. “I spend every day carving, shaping, and polishing things like this!”
She was radiating pride, her face glowing with complete satisfaction.
Ariella studied the sword with admiration. The blade shone with a faint black luster—it was made of Blackiron, a special metal known for excellent mana conductivity. Magical weapons required Blackiron to be truly effective.
“Let’s have the soldiers test it. A sword should be swung by a swordsman.”
They moved to the backyard, where demon soldiers each took a blade and swung it.
At first, the unusual lightness made them tilt their heads, but soon they adjusted and wielded them with ease.
Slash!
Logs set up for testing were sliced cleanly.
“Well?” Ariella asked.
The soldiers gave honest feedback.
“This is incredible. I thought the light weight would weaken its impact, but the power and feel when striking are better than before.”
“The blade is so sharp. I bet it could slice paper clean in two.”
The more praise they gave, the more Cecile’s grin widened, almost reaching her ears.
She explained quickly, excitement in her voice,
“I used a combination of a Lightweight Enchantment with Conditional Targeting and a Sharpness Spell!”
Enchantments—magic that granted attributes to objects.
Ariella easily understood Cecile’s explanation.
“So, it’s light and harmless to its wielder but heavy and deadly to whoever it cuts, right?”
“Exactly! Isn’t it brilliant?”
It was far beyond Ariella’s expectations—she was completely satisfied.
With our army size limited, strengthening weapons is the best option.
She asked,
“I ordered weapons first because we need them urgently, but later… could you make armor too?”
“Of course! Basic enchantments like lightness and durability are easy. We could even add special effects.”
“For example?”
“Maybe armor that casts a weakening curse on whoever attacks it,” Cecile suggested.
“That’s good… but what about embedding Counter Magic?”
Though most orcs weren’t magic users, other demon armies relied heavily on magic.
“If the armor could reflect enemy spells, that would be devastating.”
“That’s… brilliant!” Cecile exclaimed. She grabbed around frantically. “Where’s my paper? I need to write this down!”
“Here.”
Ariella handed her a page torn from her own notebook.
Cecile, unaware this idea was for a future war with Delac, scribbled eagerly, calling it “a fun concept.”
Ariella smiled warmly as she watched Cecile’s passion.
I’m so glad I brought Cecile here.
She had recruited Cecile, who was running a failing shop in Delac territory, because of a promise to her father, Geru.
Geru had insisted Cecile wasn’t fit for business but was a genius in crafting magical tools.
Turns out all those tools Geru sold back then were Cecile’s creations.
Even the picky lich Richmond had traveled far to buy them.
But Cecile’s talent had been wasted for years—she had no access to proper materials, thanks to Fredwick Trading’s schemes.
Now, with Ariella’s support and resources, Cecile was finally free to create.
This is why talented people are more precious than gold, Ariella thought, looking at her like a treasure chest.
Father and daughter both make me so happy.
“Cecile, shall we have a little tea time?” Ariella asked kindly.
The picnic basket contained herbal tea prepared by Philly and cookies baked with care by chef Lavo.
After Cecile set the table, Ariella brewed the tea herself.
But just as she poured it, ripples appeared in the teacup.
Rumble!
“Careful! It’s going to spill!” Cecile warned.
The atelier shook, and Ariella quickly reached out to stop the teacup from falling—
“Huh?”
She didn’t need to.
The tablecloth shifted on its own and gently slid the cup back into place.
“There’s magic flowing through the tablecloth?” Ariella asked.
“Yeah. Cleaning is annoying, so I enchanted it. There’s a small side effect though.”
“Like what?”
“Sometimes it clears away the food while you’re still eating.”
“…Oh.”
The ground trembled faintly a few more times before settling.
“Why are there earthquakes all of a sudden?” Ariella murmured.
“They’ve been happening a lot these past few days,” Cecile said casually.
“Really? This is the first I’ve felt.”
Once the shaking stopped, Ariella handed her a cup.
“Wow! This is amazing!” Cecile said, eyes sparkling. “I don’t know much about tea, but this is clearly special!”
“It’s herbal tea from the Fairy Forest. You won’t find it in any market,” Ariella said with a smile.
As they sipped tea, Ariella asked about Cecile’s life and if she was uncomfortable living so far out.
“Isn’t it lonely, being out here alone?”
“Nope! When I’m working, I forget the time. Honestly, I don’t like crowded places anyway.”
The atelier’s remote location had been necessary because of the noise from her work, but Cecile seemed content.
“Do you ever feel understaffed? Even with plenty of supplies, you’re the only one working. Once production increases, it might get overwhelming.”
“I enjoy it, so it’s fine.”
“Enjoyable work can still turn into exhaustion if you push too hard.”
“Hm, maybe…”
“If you think you’ll need help, tell me early. Hiring good people takes time. It’s better to prepare before things get busy.”
Cecile looked at her in surprise.
Ariella continued,
“If you only start hiring when you’ve hit your limit, you’ll burn out. Training new staff while you’re drowning in work? Impossible. It’s smarter to prepare early.”
Cecile muttered,
“You’re really different from other rulers in the demon world.”
“Watch your words. I’m not a ruler—I’m the Demon Lord’s contractor,” Ariella corrected.
“Ah! Sorry!”
“Anyway, if you overwork people, you’ll see short-term results. But it won’t last. Burnout always catches up.”
She met Cecile’s eyes with a soft but firm look.
“I’d like you to work here for a long time.”
“…”
Ariella didn’t notice that those words planted a deep resolve in Cecile’s heart.
Cecile set her teacup down and suddenly bowed her head.
“I haven’t thanked you properly yet. Thank you… for letting me work freely like this.”
“Don’t mention it. I did it because I needed you.”
“When you first came to my shop in disguise, I never imagined it. Even when you asked about my father’s grave…”
Ariella chuckled at the memory.
“Of course. How could you have guessed I came to dig him out of the grave? You must’ve thought I was just there to lay flowers.”
The mention of Geru naturally shifted the topic.
“I wish we’d revived him in a better state. Didn’t you get a shock when you saw him?”
“His face… has changed a lot?” Cecile asked carefully.
“Huh?” Ariella blinked, confused.
“You’ve seen him, right? He’s a zombie now—he looks completely different…”
But Cecile’s expression made her realize something.
“Wait. You haven’t seen him even once?”
“No.”
Ariella was stunned. She had assumed they’d reunited after Cecile moved here.
“Did I work Geru too hard? Did he not even have time to visit you?”
She felt guilty.
“Sorry, that’s my fault. I should’ve made sure—”
“No,” Cecile cut in firmly.
“I refused to see him. My father wanted to meet me, but I declined.”
“Why?”
Moments ago, Cecile had been so bright while talking about magic tools. But now her face was cold, distant.
The mention of Geru had completely changed her.
Ariella asked gently,
“Is there some story behind this?”
“…”
“You worked with him until his death. You two must have been close.”
“We worked well together back then,” Cecile admitted.
“And now?” Ariella asked softly.
Did something happen after Geru died that made Cecile want distance?
Why are all father-daughter relationships in the demon world such a mess…? Ariella thought.
