Although Kevin had visited "Hostes of Fertility" numerous times, this marked his first ascent to the private room on the second floor.
After all, on most occasions, he would simply pack up the food to deliver to a certain goddess.
Upon opening the door to the private room, Kevin found Riveria Ljos Alf awaiting him, alongside
The blonde elf girl, Lefiya Viridis, who was seated beside her for some reason.
"Good evening, 'Hero Craftsman' of the Hephaestus Familia."
Hearing Riveria address him with such solemnity using his title, Kevin scratched his cheek and took a seat opposite the two elves.
"There's no need for such formality, Lady Riveria."
"Hehe... then please, just call me by my name, Kevin."
Riveria responded with a smile. The air she exuded was one of elegance and nobility, yet without any hint of aggression. Her gentle tone was as soothing as a spring breeze.
"I'm glad you accepted my invitation. I wanted to apologize to you on behalf of Lord Loki regarding..."
"There's no need to bring that matter up again."
Kevin shook his head, cutting off Riveria's intended apology.
"Actually, I didn't feel imposed upon at all. In fact, it's more accurate to say that the adventurers from your Familia simply helped me declutter my inventory."
Riveria recalled how Bete Loga had been desperately borrowing money throughout the Loki Familia earlier that day, and a slight smile touched the corners of her lips.
"Thank you for your generosity, then – and now, there's another matter I wished to discuss."
As she spoke, the Nine Hells Princess placed her hand on Lefiya's head and gently stroked her hair.
"It concerns this child."
"You gave her something today, and then she fell into a coma... Is that the correct sequence of events?"
"Uh..."
Kevin's expression turned serious, assuming they were finally broaching a weighty topic.
However, observing the seemingly unaffected demeanor of "Thousand Elves," it appeared there were no lasting repercussions.
After a moment's contemplation, Kevin addressed Lefiya sincerely.
"I am truly sorry, I never anticipated that item would cause such a commotion. I've never encountered anything quite like it before."
Faced with Kevin's apology, Lefiya seemed somewhat flustered.
Her delicate elven features displayed a hint of youthful innocence and confusion, yet couldn't conceal the inherent beauty of her race.
"Well, um... there's no need for you to apologize. Rather... I should be thanking you."
"...?"
The Nine Hells Princess beside them cleared her throat lightly, interrupting the somewhat awkward exchange between the two.
"It seems, Kevin, that you are not fully aware of the entire situation."
"Allow me to explain from the beginning."
Subsequently, Riveria systematically recounted the events that transpired after Lefiya lost consciousness.
When Kevin heard that Lefiya's magic capacity had exceeded its limit, and an additional magic slot had inexplicably appeared, his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
What the heck?! How did I not know about this?!
Reflecting on it, Kevin finally understood.
He didn't currently possess any "magic" himself, so naturally, he wouldn't be able to perceive the difference.
In any case, when updating his ability values, that particular section always remained blank.
"Et cetera."
After Riveria concluded her explanation, Kevin thoughtfully regarded the somewhat bashful elf girl.
"Doesn't this imply that... Lefiya is now the sole adventurer in Orario capable of wielding four 'magics'?"
Of course, with the exception of himself.
"That is correct."
Riveria confirmed on Lefiya's behalf.
"This is a fact that has been verified by our Familia's main god, Lord Loki."
"Therefore, I wish to know... precisely what did you give to Lefiya at that time?"
After a brief pause, Riveria's expression turned earnest, and she offered Kevin a formal salute.
"I understand that this may involve some of your personal affairs, such as the development of your abilities... or the reporting of those abilities."
"However, I assure you, as a member of the elven royal family, that no third party will be privy to the conversation we have today."
Witnessing Riveria's solemnity, Kevin didn't respond immediately but fell into contemplation.
The two elves refrained from interrupting his thoughts, waiting patiently.
Because Kevin's answer could potentially hold significance for the future of the "Elves"!
"Before we proceed with that,"
Finally, Kevin carefully chose his words and inquired.
"Lady Riveria, may I ask why you are taking this matter so seriously?"
As if anticipating Kevin's question, Riveria answered without hesitation.
"Young man... you are human, and you may not fully grasp the profound importance of magic to our race."
The elves, alongside the legendary "fairies," are renowned as the quintessential magical race, possessing an exceptionally strong innate magical aptitude.
Even elf adventurers who are not primarily casters have a very high probability of activating inherent magic from their bloodline.
For some races who may never comprehend magic in their entire lives, this is akin to an attack from a higher dimension.
However, for the elves, the limitation of only being able to master three spells directly restricts the potential for their race's advancement.
Even Riveria, known as the "Nine Hells Princess,"
Her title merely reflects the combination of different chanting stages among her three spells
To achieve nine distinct magical effects.
Only Lefiya can utilize the unique "Fairy Ring" magic
To unleash the vast repertoire of spells mastered by the elves.
This is also the origin of her title, "Thousand Elves."
But the elves possess only one "Thousand Elves," and Riveria sees new hope in the changes that have occurred within her.
Her aspiration is to utilize the mysterious item in Kevin's possession to enable all members of the elven race to overcome their limitations and master four kinds of magic!
"I see... Even if other races were to break through these limits, I'm afraid they wouldn't have that much magic to awaken."
Kevin understood the implicit meaning behind Riveria's words and concluded.
"Only the elves, with their accumulated knowledge of thousands of spells, can fully leverage the advantages of a fourth magic slot."
"I believe my understanding is correct, Lady Riveria?"
"That is indeed correct."
Riveria cast an approving glance at Kevin.
At his young age, he could discern the underlying interests at play with such clarity. It seemed he was more than just a rough blacksmith.
"So... may we proceed with the previous topic?"
"Any information regarding the item in my possession?"
Kevin pondered for a moment, then stated.
"A few days ago, I was promoted to Lv2 and was awarded the title of 'Hero Craftsman'."
"You two should both be aware of this."
Riveria nodded slightly, a touch of awkwardness in her expression.
Not only were they aware, but even that title had been conceived by their Familia's main god.
"During my level up, I chose to develop an ability – Stigma Alchemy..."
"Alchemy?"
Hearing this, Riveria seemed to grasp something.
Orario's alchemy could indeed create magical items with incredible effects.
These included the "Philosopher's Stone," capable of granting immortality, and even "Resurrection Items" that could bring the dead back to life!
However, she was only familiar with ordinary alchemy.
This [Stigma Alchemy] appeared to be a rare ability, never encountered before.
Because it pertained to Kevin's ability value information, Riveria refrained from further inquiry.
"Yes, relying on this ability, I created an item called a magic crystal."
Kevin reached into his pocket and retrieved a blue magic crystal from his inventory.
"Ah... that's it!"
Lefiya covered her mouth lightly and exclaimed subconsciously.
Witnessing her reaction, Riveria looked at Kevin with sparkling eyes.
Even the "Nine Hells Princess" felt a pang of envy towards this special item that could shatter limitations.
Perhaps after acquiring a fourth magic slot, her title would evolve to "Sixteen Hells Princess" and beyond.
"Can you mass-produce this item called 'Magic Crystal'?"
"Of course... no."
Seeing Riveria's fervent gaze, which seemed to hint at a desire to confine him in a small, dark room and extract his secrets, Kevin naturally wouldn't provide a straightforward answer.
Only by maintaining control of the situation could he hope to negotiate effectively.
"In fact, I have only crafted two thus far."
Shrugging, Kevin lightly flicked the magic crystal in his hand, producing a crisp sound.
This small movement seemed to tug at Riveria's heartstrings, causing her to involuntarily avert her gaze.
"If you are willing to cooperate, we elves can bear all the expenses associated with the creation of magic crystals."
Riveria readily perceived Kevin's underlying message and quoted a price without hesitation.
"Furthermore, I can offer you a substantial sum of money in the name of the Elven Royal Family."
What were the actual costs of creating a "magic crystal"?
This item merely required 5 fallen stars to synthesize.
For Kevin, simply taking a stroll around Terraria at 0.2 speed in the evening could yield him several more magic crystals in his pocket.
Naturally, he would never divulge such crucial business information to anyone.
Regardless, the magic crystal's effect was undeniable. Where there was demand... there was a market.
"The material aspect is easily resolved, but..."
Seeing Kevin's somewhat embarrassed expression, Riveria inquired with concern.
"As long as it pertains to the 'magic crystal,' I can offer you my full support on behalf of the elves!"
"Alright."
Riveria's earnest declaration seemed to finally sway Kevin's decision.
"I was going to discuss this next. Please... Lefiya, would you mind stepping out for a moment to avoid any potential misunderstandings?"
"Don't worry, this child is very obedient and wouldn't reveal your secret to anyone."
Riveria gently patted the Thousand Elf's head. If not for their differing hair colors, they truly resembled a family.
You made this choice.
After a silent murmur to himself, Kevin finally spoke.
"In order to create magic crystals, I need to utilize something called 'holy milk' to enhance the ability of [stigma alchemy]..."