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No matter how he examined it, Yaeger was indeed carrying a shattered sword. It was so damaged it seemed as though it would crumble to dust with the slightest pressure. To Behn, the weapon appeared more suitable for the scrap heap than a repair shop.

“Am I mocking you?” Yaeger asked, squinting her eyes with a sly smile.

“You’re asking me to fix this wreck? That’s got to be a joke. Princess, have mercy!” Behn replied, his tone tinged with despair.

“You’re sure it’s impossible to repair?” Yaeger’s fist tightened. If anyone else had declared the weapon beyond repair, she might have believed them. But this was Behn, the finest craftsman in Jade City. Clearly, he was simply too lazy to take on the challenge. As if to confirm her suspicions, she noticed Behn’s personal quest, [Lazy Behn], still lingering on her quest bar. The quest tasked her with motivating him to be more industrious for the betterment of Jade City. If need be, she was even authorized to offer “physical encouragement.”

“I’ll ask you one more time. You really can’t fix it?” Yaeger’s grin widened, though her eyes remained icy.

Behn trembled. The echo of her footsteps struck him like a wake-up call, bringing back haunting memories of past interactions. “I… I think I can try to repair it!” he blurted out, fearing Yaeger might act before he could finish speaking.

“Good. If you can’t, well… you know the consequences,” Yaeger said, handing over the sword.

Behn’s hands trembled as he accepted the sword, almost dropping Sunscorch onto the ground. Given the weapon’s fragile state, dropping it could result in complete destruction—putting himself at risk of a physical reprisal from Yaeger.

“This sword is in terrible shape. Honestly, it’s beyond repair—Wait, let me finish!” Behn stammered as he bent to inspect the sword, cutting himself off when Yaeger raised her fist threateningly.

“I’m all ears,” Yaeger said, her smile devoid of sincerity.

Behn took a deep breath, steadying himself. “This sword is filled with cracks, so much so that it might shatter under the slightest pressure. To most craftsmen, it’s scrap metal. But…”

He paused, taking a cautious glance at Yaeger. When she didn’t react, he continued, “It’s not that it can’t be repaired.”

“Get to the point,” Yaeger interjected, growing impatient.

“Fine, it can be repaired. But it will be an expensive endeavor, likely exceeding the sword’s original value. More than repairing, I’d be strengthening it,” Behn clarified.

“Strengthening? Provide me with a list of materials needed,” Yaeger said, unfazed.

After all, the sword was nearly ruined. Instead of repairing it, it was better to re-forge it into something new. As long as its attributes remained the same, its exterior appearance didn’t matter. Behn carefully placed [Sunscorch] on the table, took out a pen and paper, and started contemplating the materials needed.

Yaeger didn’t disturb him. She walked alone to the shop’s backyard and unequipped all her gear in a random room. When she reappeared, she was wearing an elegant white dress, radiating grace. At that moment, Behn finished writing down the necessary ingredients. His eyes nearly popped out of his sockets and his heart almost stopped. However, a feeling of inexplicable disgust filled him, and his heart resumed its normal function. ‘No matter how beautiful she is, she’s still the scourge of the Empire,’ he thought, pursing his lips and regaining mental clarity.

“Is it done?” Yaeger approached and asked.

“Yes… It is,” Behn handed her the list.

Yaeger scrutinized the list. “Main materials: Flame Jade, Amethyst-Gold, Meteor Sand…” These items were hard to come by. The only easily accessible item was High-grade Flame Crystals.

“I heard these materials can all be found in the Canyon of the Dead,” Behn commented.

“And where did you come by that information?” Yaeger questioned, curiosity piqued.

“My friend’s uncle’s daughter’s friend’s mom’s grandpa’s neighbor’s—”

“Stop! Just tell me who,” Yaeger cut him off, visibly vexed.

“A wandering veteran adventurer mentioned it. Forgot his name; think he froze to death last year,” Behn shrugged.

At this, Yaeger extended her hand to pat Behn’s shoulder. The next instant, he felt an electrifying pain surge through him. “Ouch!” he yelled, as her green aura flickered away.

“If you try to mess with me next time, you’ll know the consequences,” she warned.

“No, I wouldn’t dare,” Behn responded quickly, still visibly shaken by the unexpected surge of pain. It had felt as if he was struck by lightning, making Yaeger an even more fearsome figure in his eyes.

“The Canyon of the Dead isn’t a walk in the park; I’ll need time to prepare,” Yaeger continued, placing Sunscorch back into her backpack. She didn’t fully trust Behn and wasn’t willing to leave the sword in his care.

Relieved, Behn watched her. He had been concerned that she might leave her weapon behind, putting him at the risk of deadly retribution if anything went wrong. ‘Get out of my store now, you’ve gotten what you came for,’ he thought anxiously.

However, Yaeger was far from done. “These pieces of equipment—repair them all within two hours,” she said, pulling out more damaged items from her backpack and placing them on the table.

Behn’s eyelids twitched as he looked at the array of damaged equipment. ‘Repair all this within two hours? Is she trying to kill me?’ he wondered.