Nevertheless, Satou-san really likes mithril don't you."
"Rather than like, it's because mithril is the only metal I have that's suited for magic swords."
Lua-san who was watching the new equipments of Pochi and the others asked while wondering. I can't use iron and lead since they diffuse magic power, while even though brass, copper, and silver can transmit magic power well, the good ones are too soft to be used for weapons. Bronze is hard, but it can't transmit magic power as well as copper and silver. In the end, mithril is the only usable one from the process of elimination. Gold transmits magic power as good as mithril, but it's even softer than copper and silver, and the cost is too high.
"Ara? If it's the convenient Divine Metal (Orihalcon), you can make both weapons or armors from it you know?"
"Right. For sturdiness and heat-resistance, there's Hihiirogane, and for weapons, I recommend True Iron (Adamantite) since it's harder than Diamond although it's quite heavy. There's also the Magic Silver (True Silver) if you need to make magic tools."
I wonder what's with this "If there's no bread, let them eat cake" atmosphere.
The things that Aze-san and Lua-san casually brought up are the so-called legendary metals. I've only ever seen Hihiirogane as the blast furnace that's used for refining mithril in the dwarf hometown.
"I will be receiving some Orihalcon from the Saga Empire's hero, but I have no way of obtaining the other metals."
"You can just make it with alchemy."
W, what?!
I grasped both hands of Aze-san who casually said it and asked futher.
"You can make them with alchemy?"
"Yes, i-it's simple you know? Orihalcon is made from copper, brass and also the philosopher's stone--"
Waitaminute. Philosopher's stone, that's.
"Aze-san, I can't exactly use the philosopher's stones unreservedly."
"Didn't we give you severals the other day."
I've already used them. I've used them for living armors and spare circuits of airships. I guess I'll take it from the airships if I need it since taking it from living armor will reset the experience.
"Then I'll give you another one."
"Is it alright? To give those so readily."
"I-it's fine."
No wait, even if you cutely sulk like that.
"If Aze-sama says so, I think it's really fine. Moreover, thanks to Satou-san's deed, we have acquired 1000 philosopher's stones from other clans."
"Ah, I forgot. When I said that Satou wished for philosopher's stones during the high elf assembly, they shared some."
"They gave it since I said I wanted it?"
"Normally they wouldn't. Although it doesn't seem like you notice it yourself, you've done that much you know."
I bulldozed through it with magic in the end though, I feel quite embarrassed when they praise my own work like this.
Or rather, why do other clans have so much of those?
"A long time ago, Ifurueze people got addicted to the plaything of Furu Empire."
That plaything seemed to be an expensive magic tool, and they paid it with philosopher's stones as the compensation. Not the courtesan beautiful women, but courtesan games huh.
It seemed they paid with several philosopher's stones at a time, but most of their philosopher's stones which had been stocked for several decades were embezzled. It seems there are various high elves huh. I'll ask them to show me that plaything later. I'm very interested in it as a game developer myself.
"Although those philosopher's stones were recovered in a thousand years time, we lost a lot during the war with the demon lord which cost us a light ship. Afterward, we used the extra philosopher's stones to repair the broken light ships, so we didn't have any saving."
I see.
However, Furu Empire huh. I feel like I've heard the name somewhere, turn out it's the country which was using the money I got in large quantity from the dragon valley. Come to think of it, there were some unusual money too. I take one out and show it to the two as a material for our talk.
"Sa, Satou-san, that coin is?"
"Yes, it's a thing called Crimson Treasure of Furu Empire that I had acquired before."
"Ara, how unusual."
I hand the Crimson Treasure to Lua-san while saying "It's a beautiful money isn't it?" The long-lived Aze-san appeared to know about it.
Lua-san holds the Crimson Treasure over the light and checks it from various angles. Lua-san let out a bombshell before I could say "Please take it with you if you like."
"This is a philosopher's stone isn't it?"
"That's right."
Eh?!
Aze-san plainly answered Lua-san's question.
"It's not the philosopher's stone itself, as it seems to have been processed a bit, but if you're using it as catalyst, maybe it's easier to use it just like that I think? If you want to turn it back into a philosopher's stone, it should be possible by asking elders and wait a decade."
A decade huh, that's really like a time span of long-lived elves.
"By any chance, magic tools can be made by using this money?"
"Yes, originally philosopher's stone should be processed first in order to reinforce its magic power when it's used as catalyst for making magic metals. I'll teach you later if you want to know about it. I don't remember it now, but it should be in the memory deposit of the world tree."
I decided to accept her kind offer. I accompany Aze-san to the world tree, and learn the way to use the Crimson Treasure and to make magic metals. The Aze-san inside the memory deposit is divinely beautiful like a demi-god that Leriril said back then, and she's showing intelligence beyond human understanding. But well, if this was how Aze-san was during our first meeting, I probably would not fall for her even though I surely would think she was beautiful. Aze-san is someone who does "Awawa" after all.
As a compensation, or not, I gave around 1000 Crimson Treasures for the elf hometown since it looked like it would be useful for them. I feel slightly proud since I was able to see the surprised looks on the elders who hardly showed their expressions.