Ethan took a hot bath for the first time in a long while, since the inn he had been staying at didn't have one, then put on the same clothes he had been wearing before.
He still hadn't gone back to retrieve the clothes he had bought at the inn.
He would ask Welf or someone from the Familia to pick them up later.
Afterward, Ethan lay down on his bed and opened his status to take a look.
Name: Ethan Walker
Familia: Alecto Familia
Level: 1
Strength (STR): S 936
Endurance (END): E 401
Dexterity (DEX): A 815
Agility (AGI): S 967
Magic (MAG): G 233
Luck (LUK): F 350
Available Points: 0
Nothing had changed, of course.
The moment he saw the words *Alecto Familia* on his status, he closed it, visibly irritated.
He then walked into the bathroom and took off his shirt.
Looking into the mirror, he saw the emblem of the Alecto Familia branded onto his back.
He put his shirt back on and left his room.
Everything was completely new to him, so he wanted to explore a little.
Ethan wandered around for several minutes without seeing a single person.
Hallways, empty rooms, silent bedrooms.
The place almost felt like a haunted mansion.
Eventually, Ethan made his way back to Hephaestus' office.
After thinking for a moment, he knocked on the door a few times.
"Come in," the person inside said.
Ethan opened the door, and as soon as Hephaestus saw him, she asked,
"How's everything going? Do you like your room?"
"The room is spacious, and the bed is great. That's more than enough for me."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"But I need my clothes. I left them at the inn."
"Don't worry. I'll have someone go pick them up for you."
"Alright. What about the forge?"
"Hm?"
"You said you'd find a forge for me. I want to go to my forge. I want to work."
"I thought you were going to rest today."
"I can't sit around doing nothing."
Ethan couldn't stay idle while knowing he was being hunted. He had to improve his status before the day he would inevitably confront the Alecto Familia.
"I see."
Hephaestus smiled.
"So you really love forging that much?"
"I honestly don't know. At first, I hated it because I was being forced to forge, but over time I learned to enjoy it."
Little by little, Ethan's subconscious had changed.
The system was probably responsible for that.
"I understand. I'm happy to hear it. I'm passionate about forging as well."
Ethan smiled after hearing those words.
"I figured."
"I asked the captain of my Familia to prepare a forge for you. Would you like me to take you there? She should be working right now."
"Do you have time for that? Aren't you busy dealing with the Familia situation?"
"Don't worry. I have a little time."
Hephaestus stood up and led Ethan to his forge.
####
They walked for quite a while.
Ethan left the main residence and crossed an open area lined with several workshops before arriving at an ordinary two-story building.
He could already hear the sound of hammering from inside.
Smiling as he felt the familiar warmth of a forge, he followed Hephaestus inside.
There, he saw a woman who stood around 170 centimeters tall, slightly shorter than he was. She had beautiful features, tanned skin, and long black hair.
What caught Ethan's attention the most, however, were her crimson eyes reflecting the flames.
Tsubaki stopped hammering and turned around.
She saw Hephaestus first, then the unfamiliar man standing beside her.
'That must be Ethan.'
She reached that conclusion almost immediately.
"Why did you bring him here?" Tsubaki asked.
"He wanted to work, so I brought him to you. Which forge was reserved for him?"
"The building next door is empty. It has three furnaces, hammers, plenty of materials, and a large storage room on the second floor. He can use it however he wants."
When she was working, Tsubaki hated being interrupted, and it showed in her impatient tone.
Ethan noticed that and turned to leave without saying a word.
Before he walked out of the building, however, Tsubaki spoke.
"We can talk later."
Those were the only words she said.
Ethan smiled.
"I'd like that."
The two of them then entered the building that had been set aside for him.
It was a large forge with three furnaces, an enormous supply of materials stored on the second floor, and countless tools at his disposal.
'None of the forges I've ever used can compare to this.'
Hephaestus watched Ethan as he looked around in amazement.
"What do you think?" she asked, her arms crossed.
"It's perfect. This will definitely be the best forge I've ever worked in. There are different kinds of ore here too. Up until now, I've only worked with iron."
"Iron is the most common ore, after all. But be careful. Don't waste the materials. They're expensive."
"Don't worry. I'll be careful."
Ethan easily lit the furnace and began heating a piece of iron to forge his very first sword since arriving at the Hephaestus Familia's home.
Hephaestus watched with curiosity.
The way Ethan worked intrigued her.
Although his movements were quick and precise, he didn't seem completely confident in himself.
He always thought twice before beginning each step.
'Actually... I think that's a good thing.'
As time passed, Hephaestus didn't notice a single mistake.
The temperature of the iron, the force of each hammer strike, the flawless shape of the blade, the perfectly executed quenching process...
He was incredibly talented.
'But that's not why I'm watching. I want to see it...'
'Come on... use your ability.'
Hephaestus' eye lit up the moment Ethan placed his hand on the hot blade.
She stepped closer and watched the changes happen in real time.
The shape of the blade shifted, becoming more refined.
Its edge formed on its own, even though Ethan had never sharpened it.
The iron's luster became even more striking, and the aura radiating from the sword left her utterly fascinated.
'Even though it's such an normal blade... what is this?'
Hephaestus was speechless.
Her heart was racing.
She was experiencing something she had never felt before.
'How can something like this even exist?'
Not even a goddess like her—the Goddess of the Forge herself—could explain the existence of the ability Ethan possessed.