Volumen Hydrargyrum

Almost two months had passed, and Lorenzo still hadn't finished his magic item.

Frieren was walking through the streets of the Holy City, preparing to buy some daily necessities to take home. When Lorenzo had been around, the two of them had taken turns doing the shopping, but now that he had gone into "seclusion," everything had fallen to her.

How annoying. When Lorenzo came back, she would make him buy back everything she had bought for him these past few days.

After buying everything on Fern's list one by one, all that remained was bread.

Carrying shopping bags of all sizes, Frieren stood bored in the queue outside the bakery. There were more than a dozen people ahead of her, and at the current pace, she would have to wait a while longer.

Just then, a familiar presence suddenly appeared within the range of her mana detection.

"Hi, Frieren."

Lorenzo appeared before her and raised a hand in greeting as though nothing had happened.

"You finally came out. So, is the magic item finished? Take it out and show me."

Frieren's earlier impatience vanished, and she excitedly questioned Lorenzo.

"Never mind the magic item for now. Let me ask you, what day is tomorrow?"

"What day?"

Frieren paused and stood there thinking hard for quite a while.

It didn't seem to be the church's Sunday, or any special holiday. The next sale at the magic supply store was still some time away, and the Holy City didn't seem to have any celebrations planned lately, either.

"A normal day?"

Frieren ventured an answer.

"It's Fern's birthday! What kind of teacher are you?"

Lorenzo stared at her, at a loss for words.

Frieren fell silent for a moment.

"Of course I know that."

"Then how old will Fern be on her birthday?"

"..."

She had fallen silent again. Apparently, she had not only forgotten Fern's birthday, but had never bothered to remember exactly how old her own student was.

"I've already got my present ready. What about yours?"

Lorenzo said.

"What did you get her?"

Frieren leaned closer, looking as though she wanted to copy his homework.

"The magic item I just made."

Lorenzo replied. He had completely drained the Silver Flow River in the labyrinth. After repeated purification, only a small portion of the vast quantity of natural silver flow remained suitable for making Mystic Codes. In the end, he had made two Volumen Hydrargyrum, one for his own use and the other as a birthday present for Fern.

After all, what most mages feared most was an enemy getting close enough to attack them, and Volumen Hydrargyrum's automatic defense and automatic attack perfectly compensated for that weakness.

"Doesn't that make it hard for me to choose a present?"

Frieren found herself with a new problem.

"I have an idea."

Seeing how conflicted she looked, Lorenzo offered a suggestion.

"How about buying her a piece of jewelry? The Volumen Hydrargyrum hasn't taken a fixed shape yet, so I can merge it directly into whatever you buy. Then it'll be a present from both of us."

"Volumen Hydrargyrum—is that the name of your magic item?"

Her attention had wandered again.

Seeing the speechless look on Lorenzo's face, Frieren evidently realized that now wasn't the time to be curious about the name. She nodded as though nothing had happened.

"All right, we'll do as you say. But what kind of jewelry should we buy her?"

"A bracelet would be best. It stays securely in place and won't be easily lost in a fight. Besides, the Volumen Hydrargyrum can adjust its size to fit Fern's wrist, so even when she grows up, she won't need a replacement."

Lorenzo said.

"Wouldn't a hair ornament work?"

Frieren seemed to have an idea of her own.

"Fern will definitely take a hair ornament off when she goes to sleep at night. The Volumen Hydrargyrum has to be worn against her body to react in time when she's in danger."

"All right, then we'll buy a bracelet."

Frieren thought Lorenzo made a good point and quickly agreed.

The two left the bakery and searched for a jewelry shop along the commercial street. Although the streets were no longer as lively as they had been during the Saint Lomiu Festival, plenty of shops were still open for business.

They passed three jewelry stores in succession before finally choosing one with a large assortment of accessories on display in its window.

As soon as Frieren entered, her gaze was drawn to a bracelet displayed in the very center.

The bracelet was made of mithril, with an oval purple gemstone set in the center. Several tiny petals were carved on either side of the gem, and the pattern extended along the band in both directions. It looked exceptionally delicate.

Most importantly, its color went very well with Fern's hair.

Frieren stood before the display case and examined it carefully for a while.

"I'll take this one."

"You have a fine eye."

The clerk immediately became more enthusiastic. She put on gloves, carefully removed the bracelet from the display stand, placed it in a jewelry box lined with dark velvet, and then handed over a bill.

"Why is it so expensive?!"

When Frieren saw the figure on it, she couldn't help crying out. It was enough to pay for several months of their lodging.

"This bracelet is made from high-purity mithril, and the stone in the center is natural amethyst. Every line on the petals was carved entirely by hand by an artisan. We're also a long-established Holy City business that has been operating for over a hundred years. We guarantee the materials and craftsmanship of every piece we sell, and if it's damaged later, you can bring it back for repairs."

The clerk maintained her professional smile.

Holy City, long-established business, jewelry, dedicated counter, entirely handmade... The buffs were nearly maxed out. With that whole combination, a low price would have made people suspect something was wrong instead.

"It's a birthday present for Fern. There's nothing wrong with splurging a little."

Lorenzo egged Frieren on from the sidelines, enjoying the spectacle.

"This... all right, I'll take it."

She forced the words out almost one at a time. Frieren looked genuinely heartbroken; after all, she was probably spending her own "secret savings."

"Thank you for your patronage! Please come again!"

After leaving the shop, Frieren looked down at her noticeably thinner purse, her face still showing a trace of reluctance.

"Fern had better like it."

"It doesn't matter if she doesn't. Once the Volumen Hydrargyrum is merged into it, it can change shape however she likes. If Fern gets tired of wearing it, she can just design a new shape herself."

Lorenzo said with the best of intentions.

Frieren stopped and raised her head, her face expressionless.

"Then what was the point of spending so much on a bracelet?"

Since it could change shape however they liked in the end, they could have bought any cheap bracelet from a roadside stall. Once the Volumen Hydrargyrum was merged into it, they could reshape it anyway.

"At least it shows how much you care."

Lorenzo answered as though it were obvious.

"Can I return it right now?"