Chapter 1211: Anthony On Tour - Tourists, but Ants

Chapter 1211: Anthony On Tour - Tourists, but Ants

The sack of the Silver City marked a point of no return in the great war. Though the ants turned back, and did not commit the final blow against the Child-Emperor, none within the Atreum Empire could ever tolerate peace from that moment onward.

I believe the Colony knew that. I believe they never intended for there to be peace in the first place. It was simply their way of letting the rest of us know the stakes they were playing for.

-Excerpt from 'Reflection on the Great War' by Gonvas

Smithant was in heaven, or hell, depending on the moment. Everywhere she looked, she was surrounded by fabulous metalwork that she didn't understand, which was good! On the other mandible, everywhere she looked, she was surrounded by fabulous metalwork that she didn't understand, which was bad.

"Reveal your secrets to me!" she demanded, staring at a rubbish receptacle.

"It's lucky the humans can't pick up what you're saying," Cobalt observed. "None of them would trade with us because of your babbling."

Smithant clacked her mandibles in irritation.

"Metal talks," she replied flatly. "By observing the patterns, the lines in the metal, the sound it makes when struck, there are a thousand ways to learn about it through observation."

"That doesn't mean you should go around threatening people's front steps."

"Metal talks, and I like to talk back," Smithant said, unbothered.

Cobalt laid a sympathetic front leg on the back of her friend's carapace.

"You've been too lonely, haven't you?"

"Get off of me." The smithing expert shrugged off the leg, waving her antennae in irritation. "Stop being ridiculous and focus on what the Eldest asked us to do. We have a guide, let's make use of the time and get what we came for."

"Of course. Just stop yelling at the lampposts."

"Fine."

[Everything all right?] the brathian mage, Irisod asked.

No matter, time to get moving. There was an entire district of metalwork to see.

Gathering herself, she followed Cobalt and Irisod under the arch and stepped into the district proper. Immediately, she felt at home. The roar of the forge, the ring of the hammer, the sound of singing steel all around her. It was just like being back in the workshop. Except there was less noise here. In the nest, there were thousands of forges running day and night.

There were many people in the street here on business, and many of the shops had displays out the front, or people talking constantly, appealing to the people passing by.

Plentiful noise, colour and light, which in Smithant's opinion, distracted from the purity of the craft. Though it appeared to get Irisod's attention.

[This is perhaps the best place in Pangera to come for metalwork of all kinds. It's famous, and can be extremely expensive,] she told them.

Smithant and Cobalt paused for a moment.

[Expensive in a way that's justified? Or not?]

They hadn't forgotten their previous trading experience. Paying more than a thing was worth went against their fundamental principles!

The mage looked at the two of them and sighed.

[The question of price is more nuanced than what you two seem willing to accept,] she began. [Prices are inflated on this street, because of the reputation that it has, and the number of customers willing to pay. There's no shortage of people in this city willing to pay high prices for good work.]

Smithant snapped her mandibles together.

[If we can get what we want somewhere else without paying more, then why wouldn't we do that? Inflated prices are inflated prices.]

[But they aren't inflated. Well, some of them are, but for the most part, this is what people in this city are willing to pay, so the prices are correct. It's all about the local market.]

The two ants waved their antennae as they considered.

"Let's just see what we can find," Cobalt suggested. "If we judge they are overcharging, we can look elsewhere."

"Fine," Smithant ground out, now eyeing the whole district with distrust. "This place better live up to its reputation. I don't want to have gotten all excited for nothing."