Chapter 210

Chapter 210

After successfully rescuing Master Talbert, Garrett found himself in a favorable position within the forge area. Dwarves nodded and smiled at him as he moved through, and even the dwarf who had blocked his way yesterday now readily stepped aside to let him through:

"Come this way! Stick close to the wall, be careful, and you should probably pick up your shield... Oh, forget it, I’ll carry it for you..."

Garrett reached for the iron shield, exerting force, but it didn’t budge. He tried again, and again, but still couldn’t lift it. Before he could attempt a third time, the dwarf swiftly took it from him, hoisting it overhead with a single arm...

Throughout the journey, Garrett stayed close behind the shield, neither too fast nor too slow. The shield, thick and rectangular, provided a sense of security as it blocked his side, appearing as formidable as a fortress wall.

What?

Shield Magic? Mage Armor?

Those transparent things that vanish as soon as they’re cast, offering no real sense of security? Garrett followed the dwarf, observing the raw appearance of the mithril mine, the crushed and washed ore powder, and the rough intermediate products that emerged from the refining process. As they walked, the dwarf explained each stage of production to Garrett:

"Digging mithril ore is troublesome, but once you find a good vein, you can yield a fair amount of ore. Processing the ore powder isn’t too difficult; it’s just a matter of labor and hammering. But turning it into these finished pieces is a challenge. Without a good furnace, it’s impossible to achieve. We only have this furnace here that’s capable of it, and in the entire kingdom, there are only three..."

Understood. The difficulty in refining lies in the temperature of combustion. In the future, he could recommend using coke, blast furnaces, oxygen blowing, and similar techniques. Garrett nodded in understanding, prompting the dwarf to continue:

"This furnace, only Master Sien can operate it. Only he has the keenest eyes and knows when to retrieve the product..."

So most people can’t manage it and need a mechanical arm? And if they still need to control the flame temperature, perhaps a metal thermometer would be considered?

"But even though retrieval isn’t difficult, with luck, Master Sien can retrieve several pounds in a day. However, turning it into mithril is... is..."

His eyes suddenly welled up. Squatting heavily, the sturdy man transformed from a square-shaped figure into a lumpy mass:

"Except for high-level divine spells, nothing else works... only the master can manage it... you mages keep pressuring him, and he keeps pushing himself, even though he’s already exhausted, he won’t stop for a day..."

"So the council sent me here." Garrett squatted down beside him, reducing their height difference significantly. He bent forward slightly, allowing him to meet the other’s eyes:

"The council sent me here to find alternative methods to increase production and ease the master’s burden. Don’t worry, I won’t rush the master... By the way, when you use divine magic to smelt mithril later, can I observe?"

Consider that the white light in the magical dome is a high electric current!

In the darkness, Garrett’s eyes grew brighter.

Early the next morning, Garrett returned to the mage towers on the peak with a thick stack of papers outlining his experiments in electrolyzing mithril. He sought out Archmage Kairel once again:

"Master, I have several ideas regarding the smelting of mithril..."

He handed over the paper, divided into sections with bookmarks. Each section contained text, diagrams, explanations, and large blank tables awaiting completion. As Kairel flipped through each page, his brow furrowed tighter:

"Method one: Form mithril ore powder into thin rods, insert them into pure salt, heat until the salt melts, and apply electricity... The formula for the rods needs testing, the heating temperature needs testing, the electric current needs testing... It may need to be done in a vacuum, or in... what kind of gas? See the appendix for gas extraction methods..."

"Method two: Fill a graphite crucible with quicklime, bury a steel mesh in the lime, and fill the mesh with mithril ore powder... Apply high heat and pass electricity through the molten lime salt... Temperature and electric current need testing..."

"Method three: Press graphite powder and mithril ore powder into shape, insert them into molten salt, and electrolyze at a certain temperature..."

Kairel’s temple throbbed uncontrollably. Finally, he pushed the papers back to Garrett, fingers

intertwined:

"What about the temperature? The electric current? How do you make the rods? Electric in a vacuum, or in what... gas? Do you know the detailed methods?"

"I don’t know!"

Garrett raised his head proudly, unyielding:

"It’s precisely because I don’t know that I need to try! I have ideas and directions now, but no manpower or resources to conduct experiments. That’s why— I’ve come to apply for a project from the council!"

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