The Sponsored Heroines Are Coming for Me

The entrance sign was small and low.

Even if someone stumbled upon this place, they wouldn’t think it was the main branch of the [Tuning Workshop].

The doorway was barely tall enough for Danya’s head to pass under.

“…Ugh!”

Irritated by the fact that it didn’t touch, Danya tilted her head upward as she walked in.

I also had to lower my head slightly as I entered. Inside, a woman wearing a look of utter indifference glanced at us from behind the counter.

Blonde hair, blue eyes, and a generous figure.

She looked to be in her mid-to-late twenties—an archetype you’d expect as the receptionist of a guild.

However, instead of the characteristic friendliness of such people, she exuded an air of annoyance, laziness, and calmness. She seemed endlessly cold and aloof.

“Ian… that woman looks scary… Is she the receptionist?”

Danya whispered nervously, her tail drooping.

The woman, whose nonchalant demeanor could intimidate even Danya, was none other than Loreal, the founder’s daughter and the current owner of the Workshop.

It was only natural to gaze in awe at a figure renowned as the continent’s foremost alchemist.

She, too, gave me a once-over from head to toe.

Her gaze lingered briefly on my hand—or lack thereof—before her bored expression remained unchanged.

She casually spoke.

“…This isn’t a place for kids.”

“We’re here to shop.”

“The tourist spot is in the building ahead. This place isn’t easy to enter.”

“Considering how easily the door opened, I’d beg to differ.”

“…You’re a cheeky kid, huh?”

“Thank you.”

“…”

Loreal glanced at me momentarily before nodding toward an empty chair. It seemed like an invitation to sit. Rising lazily from her seat, she stepped behind the counter and placed two teacups down. �

—Clatter!

The tea was set down so roughly it wobbled as though it might spill but miraculously didn’t.

The liquid level stopped just below the rim, held by surface tension.

If intentional, it was impressive.

Danya sniffed the tea suspiciously before taking a careful sip, her eyes widening.

“…It’s delicious!”

At the same time, she whispered to me softly enough that only I could hear.

“No poison, it seems. Want me to test more?”

“Thanks.”

As Danya said, the tea was exceptional. One sip was enough to discern its high quality.

Watching us, Loreal frowned.

“…Can you keep your flirting outside my shop?”

Ignoring her remark, I extended my arm—specifically, the arm I no longer had.

“I’m looking to purchase a functional hand. Preferably made with the best materials available.”

There are various ways to restore a lost limb.

One could approach it from a healing perspective—seeking reconnection surgery at a major hospital or treatment from a renowned physician, as my master suggested.

Alternatively, one could focus on regeneration by appealing to an overwhelmingly holy being like Aria or by leveraging my own extraordinary regenerative abilities.

But those options all focused on restoring the original hand. Tuning, on the other hand, was different. It was about upgrading the specs of the hand itself.

Loreal, glancing at my arm, answered bluntly.

“Hands are the hardest body parts to craft. The minimum cost starts at 10 billion Krone, kid.”

“Nyah, 10 billion?!”

Danya exclaimed, startled beside me.

I explained it to her simply.

“Hands are naturally hard to create. They require precise movements, so they’re a culmination of alchemy, magic engineering, and all sorts of technologies.”

“Hmm, not bad for a kid to know that.”

Loreal remarked, her eyes gleaming slightly.

But she quickly added.

“Even so, there’s no student discount. Besides, you kids don’t look like you even have 10 million Krone, let alone 10 billion.”

Her tone didn’t feel mocking but genuine, as though she truly believed that.

I nodded at Danya, who seemed eager to prove otherwise.

Thud.

Danya placed a pouch of gold coins on the table.

Loreal’s eyes flickered briefly with surprise as she counted it.

“…I assumed you were just kids with a bit of field experience, but it seems you’re more capable than I thought.”

Without a word, I shrugged.

Loreal nodded slightly before pulling out a pamphlet.

“Here’s what we have under 1 billion Krone. Organs extracted from living beings have been temporarily shelved due to legal restrictions, but I can show you those if you want.”

Loreal’s tone grew livelier.

“For mages, I’d recommend dragon or gargoyle hands. Their mana circuits are far denser than a human’s, allowing for more precise control. Of course, they’re pricey.”

It wasn’t the demeanor of a merchant eager to impress a customer but rather an artist passionate about showcasing her work.

The pamphlet showcased “hands” crafted from actual organic materials. Loreal continued, her voice brimming with enthusiasm.

“If you’re looking for value, goblin shaman hands aren’t bad. They’re a bit small, but their flexibility, circuit precision, and regenerative abilities are sufficient. I’ll adjust the color and size to match as best I can.”

The fervor bordering on madness seemed to explain why she was the continent’s greatest alchemist.

Loreal’s rise to fame began when she crafted a silver prosthetic hand for a knight who had lost his arm in battle. The knight, nicknamed the “Steel Knight”, gained fame alongside her masterpiece.

So, it was clear what I wanted from this place.

“I’d rather see the hands you’ve crafted personally through alchemy.”

“That might cost more than what you have.”

“Could I at least take a look?”

“Hmm…”

Loreal fell silent for a moment, appearing deep in thought.

I decided to lightly sprinkle some flattery into the conversation.

“I’ve heard that the unique materials crafted through alchemy and the precision of your magically engineered components are unmatched on the continent.”

“A-Ahem! A kid who knows a thing or two, huh?”

Clearing her throat, she stood up and grabbed a key from the counter.

She then gestured for us to follow her to a side room.

“This way.”

Click.

As the door opened, a gust of cold air rushed out.

Before us lay a wide, modern, and polished space, a stark contrast to the somewhat shabby exterior.

Was it a workshop and showroom combined?

The walls were adorned with around ten metallic hands, while each table bore what appeared to be forges and alchemical materials.

This must be Loreal’s workshop.

Like stepping into a game’s item shop, I found myself mesmerized as I gazed at the hands.

‘Each one of these costs more than 10 billion Krone…’

These “tuned body parts” came with jaw-dropping prices, but they were worth every coin.

The reason for their value was simple.

“…This one has perfect cold resistance and enhances fire-elemental power. The amplification rate is roughly 40%, and the mana circuit is meticulously crafted to be one-tenth the thickness of a human hair…”

The creations of the continent’s greatest alchemist, who seemed half-obsessed with her hobby, were extraordinary.

‘Each component is a new material she’s invented herself…’

These absurdly expensive items were essentially the final tier of equipment, only attainable by those with limitless wealth.

Then, suddenly—

“…?”

I stopped in my tracks.

A strange sensation enveloped me, as if something were pulling me in.

Leaving Loreal, who was enthusiastically explaining her works to an utterly fascinated Danya, I followed the pull to one of the tables.

There lay what seemed to be the unfinished skeleton of a hand—thin and delicate, almost like bones.

I found myself inexplicably drawn to it.

“…”

As I stared blankly at it, Loreal approached.

“Oh, that? It’s a new material I made recently. I tried to preserve the characteristics of human tissue while designing it to have a positive effect on internal mana circuits. It should enhance overall magical ability by roughly 20%. The problem is, since I prioritized its compatibility with the body, it’s…”

Gone was her cold demeanor. Now, she resembled an excited teacher bragging about a cherished hobby.

“…Only compatible with human biological tissue on the exterior. I’d need to… find a human hand to harvest.”

“Eek!”

Danya, who had been listening intently, yelped in shock.

“Of course, I’m joking. Human hands are too soft and difficult to preserve for processing like this.”

Loreal’s attempt to reassure Danya only seemed to alarm her further.

I, however, was focused on the item before me.

“This one.”

“Huh?”

“If you were to sell this as is, how much would it be worth?”

“Sell… this skeleton as it is?”

“Since it’s just sitting here unused. If you were to sell it, how much?”

Loreal tilted her head, tapping her lips thoughtfully before responding.

“The materials cost around 7.5 billion Krone for 25 grams. The crafting wasn’t particularly challenging, though.”

“Do most of the functions of your crafted hands come from this skeleton?”

“Strictly speaking, yes. But I also design the exterior muscles and such to ensure user comfort, which exponentially increases the cost.”

So, this tiny skeleton was the key component.

25 grams of material costing 7.5 billion Krone.

‘If that’s the case…’

There was no need to hesitate.

“I’ll take this.”

The core of a 10-billion-Krone item was right here. Taking it was the logical choice.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“…What?”

Loreal turned to me with a thoroughly flustered expression.