Welf's Capability

Early in the morning, two days after Welf became Alex's retainer. At first, the moment he discovered that Alex was a record holder, he was surprised how fast he was but then immediately accepted knowing that Alex was special.

In the past few days, he tried to contact Alex but the latter only told him "you're free to do whatever you wanna do" and telling him that Alex intended to take a breather for a while after his intense battle that lasted a couple of days in the dungeon.

Nodding in understanding, Welf carried on what's he was going to do. Fortunately he had encountered the Little Rookie just the day after he met with Alex.

Founding out that Bell had used an armor of his creation, he was inwardly surprised and glad at the same time. Talking with Bell for a while, he asked if he could join Bell's battle party and in exchange of having a direct contract with him and help him with his request.

Welf's request was to help him level up. Welf explained that there were many things a smith could do as soon as he leveled up especially him who was apparently on a special case.

Welf explained to Bell that he needs a high quality excelia in order to level up, but since his allies always kicks him out, he's had to work solo which Welf said that was very hard to him because of a special and fortunate incident.

(#A/N: After being Pagma's Succesor, Welf can basically farm his stats every time he can successfully create an item which he had been diligently doing since he become Pagma's Successor but leveling up is a different case.)

Therefore, going deeper than the top few levels is impossible. It's common knowledge in Orario that no one could make it out in one piece. So he started looking to join battle parties with members of other Familias as a last resort.

Welf also said that the others were jealous of his hidden talents in a sullen voice explaining why he was always left behind by the others.

"Hey, Bell. Morning."

"Good Morning. Umm, Welf~san, what are you doing out here?"

"Got a message for you from Lil' E. She can't join us for dungeon crawling today."

"Eh?"

Welf explains to the surprised Bell that he was waiting at the base of Babel when a very animated Lilly rushed up to him. She said that on top of being busier than usual recently, the gnome she works for collapsed.

"So, what do we do? Hit the dungeon as a duo?"

"W-well, hmmm..."

Bell thought that they won't be able to collect magic stones without Lilly even though the two of them were shocked when Welf introduced that he had a skill called inventory which allowed him to carry stuffs in a separate dimension.

It would decrease their efficiency without a supporter to pick the drops while the two of them focused on combat.

"Bell. If you've got nothing else going on, can I have some of your time today?"

"What?"

Bell tilted his head to the side at his suggestion. The corner of Welf's mouth rises in a grin; his hands wave from side to side.

"I made you a promise, didn't I? A full set of new equipment."

Welf then headed somewhere at a brisk pace while Bell was doing his best to catch up. They arrived in a compact, one story building standing in front of them.

Burn marks and soot cover the walls but this is the real thing. The aura of an actual forge oozes out in every corner of the place. A smokestack just out of the corner of the roof.

"So this is your workshop?"

Welf opens the shutter, bathing the dark room in the crisp of morning light. The first thing Bell noticed is the strong smell of iron. A wide array of tools hanging on the starts glimmering.

Hammers, tongs, random utensils...and lots of tools. A large fireplace is settled in the corner, behind a medium-height bench or to be exact an anvil. There are no dividing walls, just one big space devoted to forging armors and weapons.

"Sorry, bit of a pigsty in here. Can you put up with it for a bit?"

"Don't worry about me, its fine."

Welf pulls up a chair for Bell and motions for him to sit down.

"Anything you want?"

"You know, Welf~san, I'm fine with just the light armor..."

"No need for modesty. A smith never goes back on his word."

Welf has his back to Bell, collecting various tools from the wall.

"I know I already agreed to it but, but the thought of receiving brand new equipments for free makes me feel like I'm just taking advantage...I feel kind of guilty."

"Bell, I won't pretend I know everything, but you should go after the best stuff you can get. Adventurers never know if there's a tomorrow. Because you don't know what's coming, you should always have the best weapons and armor on you all the times—right?"

"Yeah..."

Bell was silent, hearing that Welf made a very good point that he can't help but agree. Suddenly, Bell eyes caught a glint of light. Looking over a series of shelves in the opposite corner of the room.

"Welf~san, would it be asking too much to try this out?"

Welf suddenly appears next to Bell as if he had been yanked over the road. His eyes followed Bell' to the massive sword on a shelf. Its not here for decorations, but its silver blade and proportionate balance as a weapon are absolutely stunning nevertheless.

"Sure, well the shop sent that one back to me 'cause it wouldn't sell."

Bell took a few practice swings. Grabbing the hilt and lifting it off the shelf, Bell swung the blade from the floor up to the ceiling, carving a silver arc in the air.

"..."

"...? Is something wrong?"

After swinging the blade a few times, Bell noticed that Welf was silent.

"You really weren't after a magic sword."

"Wha?"

Bell tilted his head wondering if he heard that right.

"I didn't think that you would be more interested in a workshop than a magic sword after coming after coming all the way here."

Welf looks happier and happier with each passing second. Then as if remembering about Crozzo's magic swords, Bell widened his eyes in realization. He was so excited about seeing the workshop and all these weapons were completely forgotten.

"You heard from your goddess, Lady Hestia that I can make magic items, right?"

"?!"

"I heard she was asking about me."

"I-I'm so sorry! My goddess didn't mean anything bad by it, she's just...well, worried about me. It's all my fault!"

"No, its fine. I'm under a contract with someone in her Familia, so I understand how she feels."

Welf responds with a lighthearted smile. It looks like doesn't really care.

"But I was worried that you might change your attitude once you learned more about me. Sorry to test you like that, but I had to know."

Welf had a genuine look of sorry with a grimace in his face.

'So that means he was trying to see if I would ask for a magic sword, if given a chance. If I would use a descendant of the magic swordsmiths to get one for myself.'

Bell thought silently in his mind. Having the famous name of the Crozzo, it made Welf sensitive about this matter.

'Just like Alex, I'm glad that it didn't really matter for Bell that he was a Crozzo.'

Welf then smiled remembering his encounter with Alex. He might be influenced by a skill of being brainwashed of some sort, Welf knew that with the Pagma's Rare Book in Alex's possession, having the Crozzo blood didn't really matter for Alex.

"Got a bit sidetracked, but I'll asked you again. Other than a big sword, is there anything you want?"

"Ah, yes...hmmm?"

Like he never thought about it, Bell wondered.

"Hey, Bell. I've been wondering this for a while, but is that a drop item strapped at your side?"

Bell then looked over where Welf was pointing where a Minotaur Horn was located.

"This is...Yes. Its a Minotaur drop item...but for some reason I just can't let it go."

A scorched horn with bits and bits and pieces of red showing through.

"How about making something out of it?"

"Eh?"

"Using that horn to make a piece of equipment. I could make a hell of a weapon from the Minotaur Horn."

Bell's eyes go wide.

'Of course! The direct contract— I bring him drop items in the dungeon, and he'll make weapons for me!"

The moment Bell say, "I'm looking forward to your work," Welf's grins from ear to ear and says.

"Coming right up!"

Handling the Minotaur Horn to Welf, he holds it in his hands for a moment, looking every inch of the item.

"Were Minotaur Horns always red?"

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind. It's in pretty good shape and quite denser than usual. Little bit of shaping, some elbow grease, and it should become one fine blade..."

Welf is getting more more and more excited as he looks at the Minotaur Horn. Taking a breath and scrunching up his brows, Welf took off the horn for a moment and looks up to Bell.

"Bell, can you let me do my own thing? I want to take my time making this."

"S-sure. I'm not a smith, so I wouldn't be able to help you anyway."

"Thanks, that helps. Other than him, this will be my first time making a weapon for someone after being Pagma's Successor, I'll guarantee you that this one will be one of the best!"

Welf the placed Minotaur Horn inside the burning furnace.

Hwaruruk!

A huge momentum rose from the excited smith. The temperature of the furnace rose rapidly.