Helos sat on the bench at the training ground, gently wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead.
Her thin sword leaned to the side, reflecting the sun’s radiance.
Julius, standing not far away, withdrew his hands. The afterglow of the Holy Light Bullet he had just released had not yet dissipated, its lingering brilliance hovering in the air like the Mist of Dawn.
This past month had passed in the blink of an eye.
Under Cedric’s special training, both of them had undergone significant changes.
Though Helos’s swordsmanship was still somewhat fresh, she was already able to face and block several of Julius’s tentative attacks during their sparring sessions.
Julius’s Holy Light Magic was no longer the simple practice it had been at the start; he was now proficient in releasing Holy Light Bullet and Holy Protection, skillfully combining the two.
“Phew—”
Helos sheathed her thin sword and let out a long breath.
Her silver-white hair stuck to her cheeks due to the sweat, but it could not hide the spark of light in her eyes.
This month has been truly fulfilling.
But I feel like I’ve forgotten something.
What was it…?
A sudden thought surged within her, making her heart skip a beat.
“Oh no!”
The young girl suddenly stood up and patted the dust off her clothes, her expression filled with a hint of panic.
Julius stood nearby, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her: “What is it now?”
“I… I haven’t checked on Milda’s progress at all this month!”
Helos’s eyes widened, her purple pupils flickering with regret and anxiety. “I clearly promised to check on the progress of the Golem Parts at any time, but I completely forgot!”
Seeing the girl’s anxious state, Julius was not surprised at all: “Well, that seems normal. It’s exactly the kind of thing you would do.”
“You jerk! No! I have to go take a look right now!”
Helos gave him a fierce glare, stomped her foot, and without another word, ran straight toward Cedric’s room.
“You want to take a leave of absence?”
Cedric looked up at the girl before him, his brow projecting an air of calm.
“Yes!”
Helos nodded, her eyes determined. “I commissioned someone to build something, and I haven’t checked on it for a month. I must go check the progress.”
Cedric pondered for a moment before finally nodding: “Go ahead. Just be careful.”
“Got it!”
The girl’s voice was crisp and loud. Before her voice had even faded, she had already dashed out of Cedric’s room.
“That girl really is impatient.”
Cedric chuckled cheerfully, stood up, and walked out of the room. “Alright, I’ll take this opportunity to see how Julius’s training is coming along.”
***
After leaving the Cathedral, Helos ran all the way through the streets and alleys until the familiar neighborhood near the Duke’s Mansion came back into view.
The air was filled with the passionate sound of hammers and the metallic scent radiating from the blazing furnace.
When she pushed open the doors of Martha’s Workshop, a wave of firelight and heat rushed toward her.
Milda was bare-armed, holding a massive hammer. Sparks flew as the hammer fell, reflecting off her dark skin with a crimson glow.
Mira was busy on the side, constantly moving materials, her hair already soaked with sweat.
“Milda!”
Helos stepped forward quickly, her voice carrying a hint of urgency.
Milda looked up and was stunned for a moment when she saw her.
Then, a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and she raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead: “You finally remembered to come visit, Second Young Lady.”
“That… I’m sorry.”
Helos lowered her head with an unnatural expression, scratching her head in embarrassment. “I’ve been training all month, so I forgot about this.”
“It’s fine.”
Milda waved her hand, her gaze turning serious as she nodded slowly. “Don’t worry, the Golem Parts are basically finished. It’s just—”
“Just what?”
Helos followed up quickly.
“I can’t guarantee what the final result will be.”
Milda’s tone held a slight apology.
“After all, I’m not a professional golem smith. All I could do was try my best to fit the structure. But at least, in terms of strength and compatibility, they have reached the standards.”
Upon hearing this, the heart that had been hanging in Helos’s chest finally settled. She smiled and shook her head: “As long as it can regain mobility for now, that’s enough. I won’t ask for too much.”
After a brief exchange, Helos had them deliver the parts to the workshop in the Duke’s Mansion, while she took the lead to leave first.
When Helos pushed open the wooden door of the workshop, the interior was silent, with only stacked materials and neatly arranged tools standing quietly.
“Cough, cough—not coming here for a month really let a lot of dust settle!”
Before Helos could start cleaning the workshop, the heavy sound of footsteps soon followed. Milda and Mira arrived with a large pile of parts, placing them neatly in front of the girl.
“I’ll leave these things to you.”
Milda let out a soft breath and looked up at her. “We won’t disturb you. For something like this, secrecy is the most important thing for you, right?”
Helos nodded solemnly: “Exactly. I’m glad you understand.”
“Mm. If there are any problems, come find me anytime.”
Milda clapped her hands, her face expressionless, but her tone was incredibly serious. “I’ll keep working on it until you’re satisfied.”
“If there are no problems, I will pay the final balance as agreed.”
Afterward, she took Mira and left the workshop, leaving Helos alone.
As the workshop fell into silence once more, Helos took a deep breath and walked toward the Puppet Golem that had been standing quietly for so long.
Its hollow eye sockets looked as if it were in a deep sleep.
“Alright, let’s begin.”
Helos whispered to herself and activated the technique used for fusion.
[Alchemy: Fusion]
Light emerged from her palm, carrying the traces of runes as it slowly integrated between the parts and the golem.
Mechanical clicking sounds echoed in the quiet workshop; the sound of metal fitting into metal brought a unique sensation.
Finally, when the last part was completely embedded into the slot, the golem’s body trembled slightly, emitting a low hum.
Helos jerked her head up, her pale purple eyes suddenly widening, and her breathing involuntarily quickened.
“…It moved?”
Within that long-slumbering Puppet Golem, a faint, dark light gradually flickered in the hollow eye sockets.
The newly installed arm slowly rose, and the joints began to make a grinding sound, sounding exceptionally clear in the silent workshop.
It moved.
Although the movement was still sluggish and stiff, as uncoordinated as if it had been rusted by time, the heavy body finally began to operate again under the young girl’s watchful eye.
“Great!”
Helos let out a long breath, and her tone became much more relaxed.
Her palms had long been soaked in sweat, but the corners of her lips curled up uncontrollably, revealing an irrepressible smile.
“Though it’s still clumsy, at least it’s functional.”
She gently raised her hand, wiping away the fine sweat sliding down her forehead and cheeks.
The weight that had been pressing on her heart finally vanished completely at this moment.
“Hm, next I’ll have to find a way to modify it.”
“Even though there’s nothing wrong with the parts, if I want to use it for combat in this state… it’s still a bit difficult.”