"Ruined another one," Elonore murmured.
"Ruined is ruined." Su Li pulled a fresh refined iron ingot from the furnace. "Again."
Saina came around from the backyard, carrying half a basket of eggs. She glanced at the pile of scrap iron in the corner.
"That basket of yours is fuller than my chicken coop." She set the eggs on the steps by the door, then tilted her head at the pile. "Melt it down and make pots. What a waste."
Su Li shook his head. "Keep it. It has its uses."
"What use is a pile of scrap iron?"
"For research."
Saina rolled her eyes and carried the eggs into the kitchen.
That afternoon, Talia arrived.
She had not brought tea today. Instead, she carried a metal detector from the Elven Merchant Association. It was one of her once-every-three-days "routine inspections."
Her gaze immediately fell upon the basket of scraps in the corner.
She hurried over in three quick strides, crouched down, and picked up a broken short dagger from the basket.
Her fingers traced the fracture.
"There are traces of an active reaction here."
Su Li was grinding the handle of a hammer and did not look up.
Talia picked up a second piece, then a third, carefully feeling the breaks and cracks on every one.
"Su Li." She rose to her feet, her voice three parts more serious than usual. "At least four of these scraps produced brief spiritual reactions during the forging process."
Only then did Su Li look up.
"Mm. I know."
Talia's lips moved. She wanted to ask, You knew, and you still tossed them into a basket? But she forcibly held it back.
"These things would be extremely valuable in the Merchant Association's research room. Every single one is..."
"I'm not in a hurry to