Danmachi: Is It Wrong to Be the Main Character in Orario?-Chapter 85: Lady Hephaestus, Youโre Asking Too Little
"This effect... is insane." ๐๐ป๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ธ๐ซ๐๐ก.๐ฌ๐ธ๐
A Goblin Dagger was considered a third-tier weapon, yet with just the "Weapon Sharpening" enhancement, it could effortlessly slice through a second-tier weapon.
After feeling the bladeโs sharpness firsthand, Hephaestus was certainโthe dagger now had the cutting power of a top-tier weapon.
And this was still just a Goblin Dagger.
The fact that a simple "Weapon Sharpening" rune could push a third-tier weapon all the way up to top-tier sharpnessโit was a ridiculous leap in quality.
Bell, already expecting this outcome, wasnโt too fazed. Instead, he brought up the real question.
"Hephaestus-sama, do you think 200,000 Valis is too much for one of these talismans?"
"Not at all."
Hephaestus truly didnโt think the price was high.
A basic rune stone, paired with a simple weapon enhancement spell, could elevate a third-tier weapon to top-tier cutting power.
Pulling that off for just 200,000 Valis? That wasnโt expensive.
It was a bargain.
"Letting a third-tier weapon reach top-tier sharpness for just 200,000 Valis? Thatโs more than fair."
But Hephaestus quickly realizedโthis kind of talisman was a one-time use. So the next question was obvious.
"Bell, how long does the magic last?"
"I tested it. When the โWeapon Sharpeningโ rune is used, the effect lasts about five minutes."
Five minutes. Hephaestus repeated the number in her head, then gave a thoughtful nod.
"Thatโs reasonable."
Five minutes of top-tier sharpness for just 200,000 Valis was absolutely worth it.
Especially since the user could choose when to activate the rune. Even if the effect was brief, the advantage it offered was huge.
In fact, it could even turn the tide of a battle.
"Is it hard to make?"
"Not really. Talismans that only require a single rune character are easy. Once youโre used to it, you can make dozens in a minute."
That really wasnโt difficult.
Hephaestusโs lips twitched slightly. Producing something this effectiveโat that speedโwas more profitable than what her own Familia could manage.
And she could already tell: these rune stones were going to become hot commodities among the adventurers of Orario.
With an effect this powerful, even a basic third-tier weapon could match a top-tier one temporarily.
And that was just for third-tier gear.
What if someone used a rune like this on a first-tier weapon?
The result would be astronomical.
"Then raise the price. One million Valis per rune."
Thatโs robbery!
Even Bell couldnโt help but cry out internally when he heard the number.
After all, his production cost was practically nothing. Even ordinary rocks picked off the ground could serve as the base material.
In other words, the cost was nearly zeroโand now, just by using his knowledge of Rune Letters, heโd be making a million Valis per piece.
"Hephaestus-sama, isnโt that price a bit too high? Wouldnโt it scare off buyers?"
"Bell, can the effect be enhanced any further?"
"Uh... are you asking about the weapon sharpening effect?"
"Yes."
Bell thought for a moment, then nodded with some hesitation.
"There is a stronger version. The upgraded weapon sharpening rune requires multiple characters to work together, and it takes significantly more time to makeโbut the effect is roughly three times stronger than the current version."
Three times!?
Hephaestus was stunned. Even doubling the effect would be incredible, but tripling it? Especially when it was already based on an enhanced sharpening effect.
Ordinary blacksmiths usually described weapon enhancements in small percentage gains. Bell talking about tripling the effect so casuallyโit was a little terrifying.
Sure, the crafting process became more complicated and time-consuming, but the end result was absurdly powerful.
"Alright then. Letโs price the basic weapon sharpening rune at 500,000 Valis per piece, and the advanced versionโten runes for 3 million Valis."
It was a steep price, but the basic versionโs cost had been brought down a bit.
For many solo adventurers, 500,000 Valis might be a fortune. But for the major Familias, that was entirely within reach.
If the effect was strong enough, theyโd definitely be willing to pay.
As for the advanced version, Bell didnโt mind setting a high price. Those runes were complicated to make and clearly targeted at top-tier users, not just anyone.
...
"Bell, switch the materials for your talismansโuse ores sourced from the Dungeon."
"Thatโs fine... but Hephaestus-sama, I donโt have access to those materials."
"I can supply them. In return, I want 30% of the profits."
Thirty percent? That low?
Bell paused, then glanced subtly at Goddess-sama behind him. A moment later, his expression eased.
But then, Bell shook his head.
"Hephaestus-sama, I think thatโs too little."
Hephaestus blinked in surprise.
Too little?
"Hephaestus-sama, I want all the rune materials to be provided by your Familia."
"And under certain conditions, I also want to keep my identity hidden."
"At the same time, I hope to build a deeper relationship with your Familia."
"I propose we split the profits fifty-fifty."
An extra 20%, just like that?
That was a full half of the profits.
Even Hephaestus couldnโt help feeling a little enviousโyet Bell was offering it up without hesitation.
And the reason? To deepen the bond between their two Familias.
He was clearly trying to tightly bind the Hestia Familia and the Hephaestus Familia together.
Hephaestus took a deep breath. She could feel itโBell was doing this intentionally, to forge a long-term alliance.
That meant their Familiasโ relationship would be far from ordinary in the future.
If this had happened before, Hephaestus would have rejected it outright.
But now, with Bell showing more and more potential, she found herself reconsidering.
This partnership could greatly benefit her own Familia as well.
Especially since Bell was clearly someone destined for greatnessโgetting in early was a smart investment.
And most importantly, the other side of this deal was the Hestia Familia.
If it had been any other group, Hephaestus wouldnโt have even entertained the thought.
But because it was Hestiaโs Familiaโbecause it was HestiaโHephaestus found herself thinking differently.
"Deal!"
