Talking to herself, Shizuku silently moved her hand onto the Katana hanging on her waist. Walking towards Aiko's room, Shizuku recalled the time she visited the Kingdom's smithy for the sake of her katana's maintenance.
Shizuku called her katana simply as a black katana and shown it to the Kingdom's best blacksmith. At first, the blacksmith were formal before her as one of "God's Apostles." However, his attitude completely changed as soon as he examined the black katana with appraisal magic, and he asked Shizuku while grabbing her shoulders. Thus, as if his previous attitude was just a lie, he barraged her with questions, no he interrogated her with words, such as where did she obtained it and who was the creator.
Although she was dumbfounded, Shizuku somehow managed to regain her calm and asked what happened. The blacksmith said that even within the Kingdom's treasury, this sword should be more or less at the same as Holy Sword. Although its output and capacity for receiving magic power didn't reach Holy Sword, it's functionality and minute details as a weapon were above Holy Sword.
Next, detailed examination found that if it was supplied with magic power, the blade would be extended by 60 centimeters in form of wind blade. Furthermore, two more blades would form beside the extended part, and they could be fired.
Then, the sheath was examined. It was understood that the sheath would be cladded in thunder if it was supplied with magic power and there was a switch-like part on the sheath's mouth that would shoot needles with tremendous force.
The blade part was made of azanthium so it wouldn't be chipped and there was almost no need to undergo maintenance. The maintenance was only to replenish the needle if it was used.
However, there was a problem, it didn't have magic array to supply it with magic power. It was a natural thing. Hajime was capable of directly manipulating magic power and he was originally never thought of giving it to anyone. So, it wasn't a mistake when he said "sturdy and able to cut things nicely" if it was used by Shizuku.
Those were the only functions installed, and the mysterious black sword (or so the blacksmiths had seen it as) could only be used by manipulating magic power directly, made the Kingdom's blacksmiths burn with fighting spirit.
'Even though we can't make a weapon with such minute details and functionality, we will make this sword usable!' was what they thought. In short, they would somehow make the user's magic power supply into the sword by any means. Resultantly, after three days and nights, the blacksmiths, with the best one as the core, set aside all of their other works and somehow succeeded in creating the magic array.
As such, Shizuku would be able to pull the black katana's abilities without using a chant. Afterwards, the blacksmiths whose magic power was dried up were slept for several days with truly happy expressions.
Shizuku was looking in the distance as she recalled the terrific craftsmanship spirit, then she arrived at her destination, Aiko's room. She knocked, but there was no response. She heard Aiko was going to report to the King and the other officials, so Shizuku thought she must have not return. Leaning against the wall, Shizuku decided to wait for Aiko's return.
Thirty minutes had passed until Aiko returned. Her footsteps could be heard from the inner corridor which somehow sounded depressed. Aiko was walking without looking ahead, and her serious expression made Shizuku understandd Aiko was desperately thinking about something in her head.
Thus, Aiko didn't even notice her room with Shizuku right beside its door and passed them. While wondering what had happened, Shizuku called Aiko to stop.