Polishing the blade was the final step in the formation of a weapon, and it was somewhat important for traditional forged weapons because their sharpness depended on this crucial step.
However, for an enchanted weapon, this step was not particularly significant.
The two critical steps of magic condensation and transmutation had already been completed earlier, and the final sharpening was just a formality.
Although this step didn't waste much of Sean's time, he remained meticulous as always.
After an unknown amount of time, the grinding sound in the smithy finally ceased.
Sean swept the sword with a wave of his hand, causing a layer of dust to fall off, revealing a smooth and gleaming blade.
The previously radiant aura now appeared slightly restrained, not as dazzling as before.
Faint green hues flickered on the sword, and there was a faint yellow sheen on either side of the blade.
However, it was difficult to notice these subtle changes without careful observation.
As he held the sword in his hand and weighed it, Sean was quite satisfied with the weight.
It was worth it for him to add an entire bottle of stone potion to increase the weight and hardness, giving the sword a solid feel.
The previous Charles' ceremonial sword was sharp enough but felt light, and it lacked the appropriate balance once he activated his secret sword technique.
Now, this Charles' ceremonial sword could be considered a truly well-balanced weapon.
Sean's gaze naturally focused on the long sword in his hand.
[Charles' Ceremonial Sword, Low-grade Enchantment (Bronze), Hardness 20, Sharpness 15, Piercing 10, Strength +6, Dexterity +6, Stamina +3. Equipment Requirements: Strength 16, Stamina 16, Dexterity 14.]
[Item Description: This is the ceremonial sword bestowed upon General Charles by King Eld III of the Serian Kingdom on the eve of the Northern Frost Campaign. This sword accompanied General Charles throughout his military career and was once considered a symbol of honor for the Charles family. However, due to power struggles within the Charles family over succession rights, the sword's whereabouts became lost. Now, although you have fortunately obtained this ceremonial sword, its magical power has greatly diminished, no longer carrying the prestige it once had.]
The piercing damage hadn't increased, as Sean had expected. After all, the materials he used for reinforcement didn't enhance that aspect.
The slight improvement in sharpness was due to his regrinding.
Essentially, he had used the compatibility of the enchanted iron ore to integrate the effects of the Whispergrass, Stone Potion, and Greenleaf Fruit, without changing the material of Charles' ceremonial sword itself.
Of course, the increase in hardness and stamina attributes can be attributed to the stone potion, while the boost in dexterity is due to the Whispergrass.
The enhancement of these attributes was expected by Sean, as it is a special skill possessed by player blacksmiths to create enchanted equipment that meets specific requirements.
What truly surprised Sean, however, was the increase in strength attribute.
Among the various materials used to condense the magic earlier, there was nothing that could enhance strength attribute.
Nevertheless, the result was not bad at all.
A slight smile formed on Sean's lips. Even he couldn't find any flaws or dissatisfaction with the augmentation of this attribute. It had reached an exceptionally perfect level.
After all, the maximum attribute increase that a low-grade enchanted weapon like the bronze-level Charles' ceremonial sword could achieve was fifteen points.
Now, the combined strength, dexterity, and stamina of the sword totaled fifteen points, and these attributes were the most beneficial to Sean.
What could he possibly be unsatisfied with?
Absolutely nothing!
Placing the ceremonial sword back into the leather scabbard given by the old shopkeeper, Sean looked around with satisfaction.
He then took out some scrap iron and scattered it around the furnace and molds.
After completing these tasks, he nodded in satisfaction, pushed open the door, and left, wearing a seemingly dejected expression.
No one knew what Sean had been doing inside, and even the old shopkeeper, who was initially curious, lost interest after seeing the residue left behind by Sean.
He simply regarded him as another useless noble offspring who lacked any practical skills.
Of course, Sean was unaware of the old shopkeeper's thoughts, but even if he knew, he wouldn't care. After all, he only wanted to create this illusion.
Attempting to forge a weapon within a day, let alone an enchanted weapon, would be impossible.
It would take several days to forge even a regular weapon. But who would know that Sean was merely strengthening the existing weapon?
When Sean returned to the inn, he felt somewhat surprised.
The young man he encountered outside a shop this morning had actually come looking for him. He was sitting in the lobby of the inn's first floor, accompanied by a middle-aged man standing by his side, seemingly in a protective role.
As Sean entered, the middle-aged man leaned down and whispered something to the young man, who then turned his head and smiled kindly at Sean.
"Together?" the young man spoke.
"Sure." Sean didn't object, although he was somewhat curious. Since he was going to receive the task from this young man, he naturally wouldn't refuse the invitation.
Turning around, Sean had a brief conversation with a waiter. After nodding, the waiter left, and Sean confidently walked over to the young man's table and sat down without any hesitation.
He ordered a large meal without any reservation, surprising the young man to some extent.
In his past interactions with others, no one had been as carefree as Sean. Most people were either reserved or overly polite.
Before long, Cecilia descended the stairs guided by the waiter. She cast a curious glance at the young man before obediently walking to Sean's side and sitting down quietly.
Usually, in the presence of outsiders, Cecilia always displayed utmost obedience and tranquility, emanating an unmistakable air of nobility.
The young man's gaze toward Cecilia immediately changed, adopting the look one would give to an equal.
He couldn't help but recall the events of today and realized that he hadn't paid attention to the girl by Sean's side during their morning dispute. This was not his usual way of handling things.
Reflecting on this, his gaze toward Sean also changed, no longer carrying the hidden arrogance it once did.
"Have you eaten?" Sean looked at Cecilia and asked with a smile.
"Not yet," Cecilia shook her head.
This time, Sean didn't casually order a meal. Instead, he chose a dinner that would suit Cecilia's taste, along with several side dishes.
If it weren't for the small size and obvious lack of sophistication of the inn, Sean could have easily listed a menu that only nobles would enjoy.
Of course, this was a situation where someone else was paying. If Sean had to pay for it himself, dinner for both him and Cecilia would probably be a simple steak and a glass of juice.
But now, with "Foolish and Wealthy" man present, Cecilia had no reason to be polite.
Seemingly aware of the different status of the people at the table or perhaps having received prior instructions, the food that should have taken more than ten minutes was served in just two or three minutes.
For nobles, discussing business during a meal had become an instinctive habit. Therefore, both Sean and Cecilia knew that the upcoming conversation would be the real matter at hand.
"Let me introduce myself first," the young man instinctively reached for a bottle of wine, but after glancing at Cecilia, he switched to juice and poured a glass for both Sean and Cecilia. "I am Roen, Roen Yeri."
A golden light flashed in Sean's eyes once again, but this time he didn't check the other person's data.
Because he knew who this person was, whether or not to check the data became unimportant.
Instead, Sean was more interested in knowing the specific data of the middle-aged man standing beside the young man.
"Cecilia."
"Sean."
Both Sean and Cecilia simply stated their names without mentioning their surnames.
The former was because his surname was "Sean" to begin with, while Cecilia had her own reasons.
However, regardless of the reasons, Roen perceived their behavior as a form of disdain.
If both of them were commoners, it wouldn't matter because it would be an assertion of their insignificance in front of the nobles.
But in Roen's eyes, both of them were of noble status, and by only stating their names without mentioning their surnames, it carried a hint of contempt.
However, Roen was not an ordinary noble. Despite his youth, it didn't mean he was hotheaded. On the contrary, due to his prolonged involvement in his family's affairs, he appeared reserved and astute.
Roen didn't seem to care about Sean and Cecilia's attitude.
He smiled and said, "I was quite interested in the things you said earlier, Lord Sean. What material can an apprentice wizard afford that the Black Cat Guild doesn't have?"
Upon hearing Roen's words, Sean's movement visibly paused, and he felt a sense of shock.
This was completely different from the direction the game's plot was supposed to take!
According to the original course of the game's plot, Sean would have to become familiar with Roen's face on several occasions, gain his trust, bring up the morning conversation topic again, and then have the opportunity to receive a task.
But now, the situation was completely the opposite. Sean had only shown his face once to Roen, and Roen had come to him on his own accord, bringing up the morning incident.
This was clearly different from what Sean had anticipated!
However, he quickly suppressed the shock. After all, he was supposed to obtain the task from Roen. Although it happened faster than he had planned, it was still a good thing. "Phantasmalite," Sean replied.
Roen's pupils contracted suddenly, his whole demeanor changed, and his voice became even more steady. "What conditions do you have, my lord? Feel free to state them."
This time, Sean was taken aback. Wait a minute, something is wrong with this script, isn't it?