Deepening Sigh

I spent a good while measuring Camilla's body dimensions with care.

She'd given me the numbers herself, and they were accurate, but I still had to double-check and confirm everything personally.

Besides, she was a bit on the lean side right now, so a few adjustments seemed necessary.

Is this too soon?

I wondered if making her prosthetic arm and leg was rushing things.

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Judging by her amputation scars and the way she moved, the phantom pain might not have fully subsided yet.

Well... getting her used to them early isn't a bad idea. Not sure if it'll even work, though.

I didn't know much about medicine, but attempting it felt like the right call.

Camilla seemed uncomfortable, and because of her, Lena had been cooped up in the workshop too—I felt bad about that.

Alright, let's get started.

It had been a while since I'd worked in the workshop.

With the magic circles I'd meticulously prepared, the success rate should be way higher.

My gaze shifted to the system message.

I recalled the prosthetic arms and legs I'd crafted back in my hunter days.

But I couldn't make those exact items from back then—not yet.

It wasn't just my skill level; the materials from that era weren't available here.

The moment I acknowledged that, a message popped up.

I examined the amputation stumps on Camilla's limbs.

They weren't in good shape.

Mana circulation was poor, and chunks of her mana circuits were clogged up visibly.

To ordinary eyes, they'd just look like healing wounds.

Only Lena and I, who could see mana circuits directly, frowned at the sight.

"Umm, Master? Staring like that makes me shy... Ah! So Master has that kind of taste! He-he, I'll serve you well..."

"Camilla? Cut the nonsense and stay still."

"Yep! I'll stay still, Master!"

Even in this crucial moment, Camilla was playing around.

She probably didn't believe I was actually making her prosthetics.

The workshop didn't look like a place for crafting prosthetics, after all.

And she'd never seen me create anything, which made it worse.

Unlike her, my expression grew more serious by the second.

This stump... was it torture? Or...

Camilla's amputation wasn't clean.

It looked ragged, like someone had ripped it off and mangled the wound.

It hurt my heart, but I kept my face neutral in front of her.

I just focused on the task.

"Hm. The mana circuits are tangled at the stump. I need to untangle them and embed new ones into the prosthetic arm and leg."

"Can mana circuits connect like that? No, is that even possible?"

"We'll see once I try... but it should be."

Lena's eyes widened.

The idea of linking mana circuits to prosthetics was clearly new to her.

Camilla stayed quiet, no reaction.

She was good at following orders when it counted.

"It's possible. It'll just... take a lot of time."

I returned to the workbench and checked the materials.

The supplies from storage and mana stones were plenty.

Rare materials would be nice, but that was greed for now.

No need for high-end stuff on the first try.

Got to be careful. First time crafting mana circuits for a human body.

"Let's start with the leg."

I pulled out a mid-grade mana stone writhing with mana.

The iron ingot's properties shifted, rippling like flowing water, and when I added the mana stone, blue light flashed.

No need for a solid build. Poor mana conductivity and elasticity, so mix in mithril... make it as thin as possible, honeycomb structure.

Materials were lacking.

Couldn't get hunter-era high-tech stuff, so structural tweaks were the way to overcome limits.

"Lena."

"Yes, I'll assist you, Theo-nim!"

As Lena approached, the mana flow stabilized.

I sprinkled mithril powder into the gap.

Never goes smoothly.

An idea hit me.

I wrapped the molten metal with Precise Control and applied Wind of Mobility; mana swirled like a vortex.

Kuuung—

"Now..."

I inserted the mana crystal.

It overreacted with the metal.

Yeah, expected that much...

War had dulled my sense of crisis; 60% explosion risk didn't feel that dangerous.

I calmly began etching the blueprint modeled after Camilla's mana circuits, ignoring the warning.

An SS-rank's circuits were intricate yet thick.

Sweat beaded on my cheek and trickled down.

"Lena, high-grade mana stone powder here."

"Yes!"

"Now!"

As Lena dusted the powder, the circuit emitted pure white light.

It felt dangerously close to bursting, but I timed it and applied Delayed Hourglass.

To delay the explosion and let it seep in gradually.

"Good."

Once the mana circuit settled, the rest went quickly.

Ball bearing joints for articulation, gears for size and motion with optimal ratios, spring structures for weight support and shock absorption.

For the prosthetic leg, I added a hydraulic system too.

The form completed, and a message appeared.

I saw the message but didn't stop.

The arm was next.

First one's a success, so same method...

It took a long time, but no one got bored.

The shape taking form so steadily was pure magic.

Camilla especially—her mouth hung open, staring blankly, drool possibly dripping as she watched her prosthetics come to life.

And the result:

"Worried about mana running low, but I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wrapped it up."

"Couldn't you rest a bit, Theo-nim...? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. But what's this?"

I confirmed the arm's completion message and finally let out a sigh of relief.

Proficiency jumped more than usual.

But more eye-catching was the new message I'd never seen.

It was a shared effect on both prosthetics.

Checking the prosthetic messages left me dumbfounded.

These were way too combat-oriented.

What... no dedicated battle gear? Because the user is an assassin?

Every feature assumed combat.

And Unique grade, no less.

I hadn't aimed that high.

Just wanted something to help her daily life.

But first time on a person, got ambitious, and this happened.

Felt off since the explosion risk.

Still... good is good? Additional set boosts abilities? Insane.

Not like telling her to chop off more limbs.

Ridiculous effect.

But the 'set' bonus felt useful.

Could apply to other items.

Anyway, need to test if it works properly.

Items done; time for real use.

"Camilla? Might hurt a bit."

"Y-Yes? Oh, attaching them? For real? You're giving these treasures to me?"

"Who else would use them?"

"If it was Lena-unnie, she'd ask to chop and reattach... He-he, I'll stay still, Master!"

"Fussing before even knowing the effects."

Unlike Lena, Camilla couldn't see messages yet—I hadn't permitted it.

Still, she sensed these weren't ordinary.

"Might hurt. Bear with it."

"He-het! Master, I handle pain well, don't worry... M-Myaagyagyaa!"

"Don't move. Stay still!"

I began untangling the knotted mana circuits at her stump, one by one.

"Ugh... M-Master? Am I staying still right? Hard to endure..."

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Camilla endured the pain.

The circuits were rejecting each other.

"Camilla, almost done. Just a bit more..."

"Earlier 'just a bit,' now 'almost'! When's it end? Ugyagyagyaa!"

"Almost. Done. Just endure."

Linking circuits and nerves was too much even for an SS-rank assassin.

I cast Mana Reinforcement; the prosthetic's circuits overwhelmed and pulled in hers with brute force.

Ching—

A clear metallic ring echoed.

Blue light flashed, and the prosthetics attached successfully.

Mana circuits flowed naturally.

"Phew, all done. Try moving."

Camilla cautiously flexed her prosthetic leg.

Tears welled up, as if it might fall off any second.

But a radiant smile bloomed on her lips.

A smile I'd never seen on Camilla before.

"Master's a descendant of the Magrid Kingdom, right? Right? Ehehe."

I tilted my head at the unfamiliar name.

Lena, with her noble education, looked puzzled too.

The message made me sigh involuntarily.