Christalm: Yes, like Mikoto. Although I have a special little plotline involving Silber's true origins. Also, I'm pretty sure that every 'Far East' in anime is just a Japan-reskin.

Haziqsaffari2: Silber is going to be bringing ALOT to the table. With time.

Mangaelf1997: Right here. It's right here.

Alex882: Silber is definitely going to get powerful later on. But not immediately!

"Hephaistos-sama, you're back already?" A black-haired woman waved to Hephaistos who was driving the material's wagon through the front-gate of the Hephaistos Familia.

"Yep. New batch of magic stones courtesy of the Loki Familia." Hephaistos nodded, parking the wagon near a warehouse-like building.

As Hephaistos unloaded the materials, Silber finally emerged from the back of the wagon.

"Ara~ Who is this?" The black-haired woman asked,

"His name is Silber Perdix, and he apparently wants to join our Familia." Hephaistos tucked the boy under her arm, causing him to blush slightly.

"Ah, so you're putting him through the regular run-around, eh?" The woman nodded, "I'm Tsubaki Collbrande, Hephaistos Familia captain." Tsubaki pointed at herself proudly, "Don't worry about it too much, this is standard procedure for virtually every member of Hephaistos. Just make something that doesn't break within ten seconds and you'll do fine."

Silber nodded, and Hephaistos finally let him go. "Tsubaki, think you can show him to our guest room?"

Tsubaki took the boy and gave a thumbs up to Hephaistos before leading Silber into the main house.

"Alright~ This is our guest room!" Tsubaki said cheerfully,

Silber stared in shocked silence, 'This is how…adventurers live?' He thought to himself in wonder,

"Feel free to dump your stuff here, or - rather - what you won't need for the test. Also, you'll find spare clothes in the closet!" Tsubaki practically pushed him inside and gave him one last wink before closing the door, leaving Silber alone inside the room.

Silber sighed, dropping his bag on the bed, he turned to the closet, which was filled with fine clothes, much finer than the travel clothes he'd used during his trip.

Silber didn't waste time looking through the clothes, however, choosing a simple gray tunic and pants that matched his silver hair. He headed to the bathroom, where he finally removed his goggles, wiping at his eyes and surrounding area before polishing the goggles themselves and finally putting them back on.

'A new weapon…' He thought to himself, what could he make? He wasn't a blacksmith by anymeans, sure, he could make a sword or a knife since he'd apprenticed with various blacksmiths across the continents, but he doubted it would even be considered during the test.

He left the bathroom, and looked to his bag. Silently, he opened it, revealing a slew of scrolls filled to the brim with intricate drawings of weapons. Many of them were…far too complex to be completed in a day.

However, his eyes finally set on one design, an oddly designed crossbow. Silber smiled quietly.

He had his weapon.

"So…where can I get started?"

"Relax. We have a familia-use workshop you can get started in, and no one will notice one kid slipping in to do this thing."

As they moved through the forging area Silber couldn't help but feel a small flutter in his heart at the sheer industry around him. Everywhere he looked, rivers of molten metal ran red hot, sweating blacksmiths hammered away at weapons that would go on to serve countless adventurers. Not only swords but spears and shields and even arrows.

Silber - so wrapped up in watching the smithing around him - didn't notice when he was suddenly rammed into by one smith.

"First rule - don't stand in the middle of the smithing area!" Tsubaki admonished him, picking him up. "Sorry 'bout that Welf."

"It's good." Welf chuckled, and his eyes fell to Silber "I haven't seen him around before…who is he?"

"A stray our Goddess picked up." Tsubaki shrugged, "His name is Silber Perdix."

"Silber…huh?" Welf nodded, "I'm Welf Crozzo." He stuck out his hand, and Silber tentatively took it.

"...Crozzo?" Silber was sure he'd heard that name before, then it hit him. "Crozzo? As in the Rakian nobles?"

Welf's face fell slightly, but he responded: "...Yeah…like the noble family."

Silber stood confused for a few moments but Tsubaki leaned on his shoulder and whispered "His family is a…rough topic, to say the least. It's better not to bring it up."

Silber nodded, "S-sorry." Silber said quietly,

"It's alright." Welf scratched his head, "Anyway, you look nice, so good luck!"

Silber nodded, and continued following after Tsubaki.

"Aaand here we are!" Tsubaki presented him with an empty workstation, with a small table and a forge.

Even underneath the goggles, Tsubaki could tell Silber's eyes lit up as he approached the workstation.

"Anything you need?" Tsubaki asked as Silber excitedly analyzed the area.

Silber turned to her, and Tsubaki almost shuddered from the glint that appeared from his goggles.

A few hours later…

"How's our kid doing?" Hephaistos asked Tsubaki,

"He's gotten started…but he's kind of weird." Tsubaki sighed,

"Weird?" Hephaistos cocked his head curiously,

"Well…okay, weird is not a fair assessment. Unorthodox would be better." Tsubaki explained,

"How so?"

"Well, all the materials he's asked for are very strange." Tsubaki explained, "He's asked for string and wood, like he's making a bow, but at the same time, he's asking for alot of metal, more than you'd need for a bow."

"Maybe he's just making alot of arrows?" Hephaistos shrugged, but the deadpan stare from Tsubaki made her think otherwise.

"Alright, alright. Anyway, I said he could make anything he wanted, so long as it had a functionality as a weapon, so…" Hephaistos shrugged as if to say: 'Let him do as he wishes' and Tsubaki only sighed.

"If you say so~." Tsubaki replied,

Silber finally blew the last bits of wood dust off the stock of his crossbow. Analyzing it, he scanned it's features, the arrow track had been reinforced with metal.

It had taken him a good quarter-day to finish the stock alone, and it was late into the night. However, he'd managed to get much of his work done today.

Stretching, he neatly repacked all his tools and organized them within his workstation.

"I don't usually find people up this late." A voice said behind him, Silber was startled, dropping the crossbow stock.

Welf, coming from behind him, picked it up and analyzed it. "A crossbow?" Welf wondered,

"Oh…" Silber reached for it shyly, and Welf handed it to him.

"It's not bad, by the way." Welf said finally, and Silber looked up at him.

"I like how you carved it, and the metalwork isn't bad either." He ran his fingers along the metal arrow track.

"T-thanks." Silber nodded.

Welf nodded, and waved Silber goodbye before heading into the estate for the night.

"It's finished, Hephaistos-sama!" Silber eagerly presented the crossbow to the pair of women, and Tsubaki and Hephaistos both looked over it.

"A crossbow…?" Tsubaki asked,

"And…what's the rack to the side?" Hephaistos asked,

"That's the 'magazine', the crossbow itself is a repeating crossbow. It's not as powerful as normal ones, but it has a higher fire rate and is lighter!" Silber said eagerly,

Hephaistos nodded apprehensively and picked it up, 'It's light…!' Hephaistos nodded in shock, despite its appearance, the crossbow was surprisingly light, even with the magazine on the side.

"Well, we should try it outside." Tsubaki said, and Silber nodded.

Before long, Silber, Tsubaki, and Hephaistos found themselves before a training area, with several dummies set up along a ridge.

"Alright. Shoot." Tsubaki nodded,

"Wait…what?" Silber recoiled at the phrase,

"It's your weapon. You should do the honors." Hephaistos nodded,

"Erm…" Silber looked at their faces, silently saying: 'Well? We don't have all day.' and he gingerly took it.

Silber tried aiming it, only for his first few shots to go wild.

"Well, he wasn't lying about the fire rate." Tsubaki shrugged, "But the shooting…leaves alot to be desired."

Silber began to sweat increasingly, and - in turn - wasted another volley of shots.

"The way he's handling it…think he'd be any better with a sword?" Tsubaki whispered

Hephaistos shook his head, "He'd probably be worse…" She sighed, and stepped forward. "Let me see." She motioned for him to relinquish the crossbow, which the boy - on the verge of tears - nodded and gave it over.

Hephaistos immediately lifted it to her shoulder, lifted it to her shoulder, and emptied what remained of the magazine into one of the dummies.

"Woah! That's our Hephaistos-sama!" Tsubaki cheered,

"As I thought…" Hephaistos noted,

"There's nothing wrong with this weapon. If anything, it's extremely good." Hephaistos said, "It's light, and easy to use. However…!" She leveled an accusing finger at Silber, who squeaked nervously. "...I can not say the same for your combat ability. We may be smiths, but a good foundation in combat is important. Something you lack!"

Hephaistos stared at the boy, even with the goggles, it was clear the kid was feeling pretty down getting chewed out by Hephaistos.

"I know…does this mean I can't join?" Silber asked,

Hephaistos looked to Tsubaki, who scratched her head before giving her Goddess a half-smile. Hephaistos nodded, and rubbed the boy on the head.

"You're alright kid. Welcome to Hephaistos Familia."

Immediately, Silber's face lit up, and Hephaistos couldn't help but think:

'Honestly…this kid is too cute.'