Logan shifted his legs again, his gaze moving between Ruben and Marie, wondering what they had brought for him this ti.
"I will accept anything you make—so far, it's helped greatly. Just let know what you need, and I'll do my best to get it for you. Also, to tell you the truth, we ran into complications with demons on our way north, so any help would be appreciated before I leave again," Logan said, his voice steady yet tinged with expectation.
Ruben didn't make him wait long. He began pulling out a cloak, a few clothes, and another whip.
"No armor?" Logan asked, surprised by the absence of heavy tal gear.
"No need—you're not suited for that kind of equipnt. What you need is an increase in speed, intelligence, and mana. Based on what you've told about your use of the whip, it seems you've started wielding it in a rather unconventional way. So, just another whip like the one I gave you before wouldn't suffice," Ruben explained.
He held up the whip, its sleek design unmistakably different. "This isn't just any whip—it's embedded with your two strongest elents: holy and darkness. We cultivated a duo elental crystal to make this possible. It's not only a whip but also functions as a magic staff or rod that works perfectly with your crown, which already boosts intelligence.
"This whip will reduce mana consumption by using it more efficiently. As for the clothes, they're embedded with lightning and darkness. That's why they're black with yellow lines. The mana stones were crushed into fine dust and fused with the robe's magical fabric. It's perfect for blending in with illusion magic while also emitting electric pulses that disrupt your enemies."
Ruben huffed as he finished his explanation, clearly proud of the effort that had gone into the equipnt.
"That's great. I really needed new clothes—the last ones ended up in tatters. I'd rather not go through that again…" Logan sighed, his mind briefly drifting to the ruined suit still stored away in his inventory.
"Did you already receive paynt, or should I pass it along to you now?" Logan asked, his curiosity piqued.
"No worries—I was paid in advance. I just hope you like it," the blacksmith replied, his tone humble yet confident.
"I more than like it—I love it. The clothing is both stylish and practical, and the weapon is incredible," Logan said with enthusiasm, holding up his old whip as he continued. "This one has been through so much it almost broke under Lisa's magic."
Logan showed the blacksmith the wear and tear on his trusty weapon, his appreciation for the new gear clear in his expression.
"Yeah… I don't think I can fix that. Use the new one and keep this one as a nto of your journey," Ruben said as he inspected the cracked whip. He couldn't help but wonder if the new one would survive the onslaught Logan put it through—after all, even living weapons required proper care and treatnt to endure.
After handing over the items, both Bobby and Ruben excused themselves, understanding that Marie would likely prefer so ti alone with Logan. Leonard had quietly left earlier while the four heroes were still conversing.
"Hey there, Marie. How about so tea? I've made it a habit to relax in the afternoons with tea and sweets," Logan suggested, his tone light and inviting.
Although Logan was eager to test the new gear, he knew it would have to wait. Marie's expression made it clear she wanted to talk, and he didn't need his taming connection to sense her desire for his attention.
Marie nodded, shaking off the nervous feelings that often made it hard for her to speak around Logan.
"Sorry, Logan. Sure, I'll accept your invitation," she replied, her voice soft yet earnest as she followed him into a cozy room adjacent to the throne room.
Inside, Ruri was already preparing Logan's favorite black tea—or at least sothing that resembled the taste of it.
"Thank you, Ruri. Could you prepare a cup for Marie as well? We'll have a chat and, of course, you're welco to join us and relax," Logan offered warmly.
But Ruri shook her head, her focus on the tasks at hand. "I still have work to do. You brought back a week's worth of clothing—I'll have the staff clean and organize it. I do hope you can spare so ti to speak with after dinner and before your bath," she requested as she finished her duties.
With a quick but respectful bow, Ruri placed Marie's cup close to her and exited the room, leaving the two alone to enjoy their tea.
"She is shy…" Logan said while blowing on his tea while waiting for Marie to begin speaking.
"I can't bla her… but I do appreciate what she did. Now then, how about I give you your version of Leonard's ring terminal? I've made sure to include gas, shows, movies, and everything else you'd want. There's even sothing new in it, just for you," Marie said, her earlier shyness lting away as she spoke excitedly about her creation.
"Oh, go on—you have my full attention now," Logan replied, taking the ring in both hands and inspecting it carefully before slipping it onto the middle finger of his right hand.
"I noticed you have a small shard of the Chronical Crystal," Marie began. "If you bring the ring close to it, it'll display detailed information about your creatures, as well as data on monsters, bios, locations, and all that good stuff. Silvia and I are even working on a new project—a hybrid between a drone and a satellite. The idea is to deploy them to orbit a few kiloters above us to provide even more detailed information. Of course, they'd need to stay near the planet to function properly, since the mana flow only works here," she explained, her voice filled with enthusiasm.
As Marie went on, she beca more like Ruben, speaking in rapid detail. By the ti she finished, Logan had not only drained his first cup of tea but had already poured himself a second.
"That's great, Marie. It's also nice to hear you have so much planned here. I just hope what I'm giving you is enough," Logan said with a smile, taking a bite out of a pastry.
"Of course, Logan. I don't think I could live in any other kingdom—or even back ho. I can only imagine all the things I'll be able to do here: the people I'll help and the projects the others and I will bring to life," Marie replied, her mind racing with thoughts of everything still left to accomplish. From further refining the improved crystals to designing motors that could revolutionize everyday objects like fridges and even washing machines, her excitent was evident.
"As I've said before, if you need anything, just ask," Logan said, shifting closer and sitting beside her. His tone softened as he added, "Also… you don't need to hide behind your illusion, Marie. Use your real form. Don't worry about your figure—it's great as it is. Trust , there are others who don't even have the chance to show their true selves."
"If you insist…" Marie replied, her voice quiet but steady. She closed her eyes, concentrating briefly before letting go of her illusion. Her real form erged—a more petite fra, not as ample in certain aspects, yet still exuding a refined elegance shaped by her evolution and Logan's taming correction.
"There we go. See? You still look great," Logan said warmly, gently tilting her chin up so she would et his gaze.
"Now tell , how have you been? Aside from your inventions, how do you feel here? And do you think you need a monster like Rubina or Lisa?" Logan asked, his tone warm as he tried to convey just how much he appreciated Marie's tireless efforts to improve his kingdom.
"A sli like Kryst would be perfect!" Marie responded enthusiastically. "I don't like flying, and I'd rather not jump into battle, so having a friendly crystal sli would be ideal for ." She paused for a mont, her expression softening as she continued. "As for how I've been… well, I did miss having you around. It's just that felt a little lonelier without you here, so I hope you finish your monster exploration soon." Marie said happily before turning it to a sad smile.
"I will hurry…" Logan said hoping he could stay without worrying about demons and monsters.
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